It is reported that only 24.2% of adults aged 18 and over met the Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity in 2020. (1) Exercise has been proven to be beneficial for our health and wellness, but it is often one area that doesn’t get enough attention.
The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderately intense aerobic exercise. (6) With the busy schedules we keep, it can often seem difficult to get 20 minutes of activity per day. However, even the smallest amount of exercise can have a lasting impact. For example, a 20 min brisk walk each day can impact your emotional health. It is reported that just 2.5 hours a week of brisk walking lowered depression risks compared to those doing no physical activity. (2) More information on the best exercises for improving your mood can be found in our Good Mood Food article!
Regular physical activity can:
- Improve depression
- Reduce anxiety
- Boost brain health
- Help balance hormones
- Improve gut health
- Improve metabolic function
- Reduce heart disease, cancer and stroke risk (2)
When is the best time to exercise?
The best answer is whenever you are able! Even small amounts of exercise can have lasting impact on health and wellness. However, there are specific times of the day that can have a greater impact depending on your goals.
Walking in the evening can have a greater impact on weight loss, as well as, working out fasting. (3) A study in the Journal of Sports Medicine reported, ‘fasted training is more potent than fed training to facilitate adaptations in muscle and to improve whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity during a hyper-caloric fat-rich diet.” (4)
Stress relief and better sleep can be achieved with early morning workouts. It was reported that morning exercisers spent up to 75 percent more time in deep sleep compared to afternoon and evening exercisers.(3) In comparison, evening workouts can be beneficial for building muscles and increasing strength. (3)
What is the best kind of exercise to do?
It can depend on your goals! However, it is best to do full body movements. Whether you are focusing on increasing endurance, flexibility or strength, it is important to incorporate whole body exercises. For example, doing a bicep curl while doing a squat or having dumbbells while doing lunges.
Cardio, flexibility and strength training have benefits for metabolic, healing and balance. A combination of all three types of exercises should be included in your exercise regiment. Below are list of the several benefits to each type of exercise:
Cardio training plays a vital role in human health and performance. With regular cardio training, one can expect numerous metabolic benefits:
- Increased oxygen uptake
- Increased blood flow to active muscles
- Increased blood volume
- Increased mitochondrial size and density
- Lower rate of all-cause mortality
- Lower rate of cardiovascular disease
- Lower incidence of type 2 diabetes
- Lower rate of total body fat
- Lower rate of colon cancer
- Lower rate of breast cancer
- Lower rate of osteoporosis
Rebuilding flexibility one can expect numerous healing benefits:
- Decreased risk of injury
- Increased mobility
- Improved blood circulation efficiency
- Increased mitochondrial size and density
- Increased range of motion
- Pain relief
- Stress relieving
- Supports balance and strength
Restoring strength has numerous balancing benefits:
- Increased metabolic rate (takes less to make more energy)
- Reduces risk of injury
- Supports bone health and bone density
- Builds and maintains needed muscle mass
- Boosts energy levels
- Improves balance
- Enhances endurance
- Improves body composition
- Elevates mood
- Reduces risk of cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases
How do I know where to start in my fitness journey?
Progression is the key to building fitness. Start where you can! Do what you can and intentionally increase one or more of the F.I.T.T. (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type) components to progress to build endurance!
BEGINNER:
Frequency – 3x a week
Intensity – Hit 70% of your THR during your workout
Time – 20 -30 min. Or 2-3x 10 min.
Type – Whole Body Functional (Walking, stair climbing, chair exercises)
INTERMEDIATE:
Frequency – 4x a week
Intensity – Hit 85% of your THR during your workout
Time – 30-40 or 3-4x 10 min.
Type – Whole Body Resistance (Burpees, Mountain climbers, Jogging, Swimming, Hiking, Rowing)
ADVANCED:
Frequency – 5x a week
Intensity – Hit 100% of your THR during your workout
Time – 40-60 min.
Type – Whole Body HICT – Higher Intensity Circuit Training (Kickboxing, Sports – basketball, tennis, soccer, Running, Plyometrics)
How do I know if I am working out hard enough?
When doing moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity it is important to know what your target heart rate (THR) should be. This can be found using a simple calculation.
For Moderate Intensity Physical Activity:
-Target heart rate should be between 64-76% of maximum heart rate.
-To calculate, subtract your age from 220 to get beats per minute (bmp) and then multiply by level percentages.
220 – 40 = 180 bpm
64% level: 180 x .64 = 115
76% level: 180 x .76 = 136
For example: This shows that a 40 year old completing a moderate intensity exercise should stay between 115-136 bpm during the activity.
For Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity:
-Target heart rate should be between 77-93% of maximum heart rate.
-To calculate, subtract your age from 220 to get beats per minute (bpm) and then multiply by level percentages.
220 – 35 = 185 bpm
77% level: 185 x .77 = 142
93% level: 185 x .93 = 172
For example: This shows that a 35 year old completing a vigorous intensity exercise should stay between 142-172 bpm during the activity.
There are several devices to calculate your heart rate from heart rate monitors to fitness watches. You can also calculate manually by counting your pulses for 30 seconds and multiplying by two. It is important to monitor your heart rate throughout your activity to know when it is ok to push yourself harder or when you need to decrease the intensity.
What is the best thing to eat or drink post workout?
About 30-60 minutes after finishing a workout, your body is primed to refuel and replenish itself by absorbing carbs and protein. A great quick option post workout is a protein shake. Using a combination of protein powder, coconut water (or milk alternative), and frozen fruit you can replenish the protein and carbs your body needs. Dr. Axe also has a list of 42 best post workout meals for faster results found here!
It is also important to include electrolytes pre-, during, and post- exercising (especially in the heat). “Electrolytes can help to maintain total body water, and even mild dehydration deficits will increase cardiovascular strain and limit athletic performance.” (8) When purchasing electrolyte beverages be sure to check the labels looking for types of sugar used, artificial sweeteners or colorings.
Electrolyte beverage options:
- Coconut Water. You can even add some additional sea salt for additional sodium.
- Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Drink
- Re-lyte hydration powder
Should I be taking any supplements or vitamins when doing an exercise routine?
Vitamins and minerals are essential for athletic performance and recovery from basic metabolic functions, hormone production, to muscle recovery and repair. Zinc, Magnesium, Iron, B Vitamins are in particular important to track. (8).
We know that vitamin D has several roles within the body, but did you know that it can help with muscle recovery? The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital found that vitamin D can help with faster muscle recovery after intense exercise and may even prevent muscle damage caused by the exercise. (7) Eureka! Clients can check their vitamin D levels to make sure they are in optimal range and can supplement if needed.
Omega-3 has been linked to better recovery and lower post training soreness in athletes. (7) This can be increased in your diet with food sources such as salmon, flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts. Eureka! Coaches can help determine if an Omega 3 supplement is needed and provide suggestions on best quality.
How can Eureka! Help?
Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can have a lasting impact on your health and wellness for years to come! Moving our bodies, strengthening our muscles, increasing flexibility will allow you to stay in better overall health. Exercise is an opportunity we have to take care of the bodies the Lord has given us! The Team of Coaches at Eureka! work with our clients to determine the best physical activity recommendations for their current health state! From plans, suggestive exercises, and accountability the Coaches support you through each step of your fitness journey! Interested in finding out more, reach out to our coaches here!
Resources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/exercise.htm
- https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-benefits-of-exercise-for-womens-health
- https://draxe.com/fitness/workout-mistakes/
- Zouhal H, Saeidi A, Salhi A, Li H, Essop MF, Laher I, Rhibi F, Amani-Shalamzari S, Ben Abderrahman A. Exercise Training and Fasting: Current Insights. Open Access J Sports Med. 2020 Jan 21;11:1-28. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S224919. PMID: 32021500; PMCID: PMC6983467.
- Eureka!
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
- https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news/2013/05/vitamin-d-can-help-in-muscle-recovery/#:~:text=Researchers%20found%20those%20with%20higher,weakness%20caused%20by%20muscle%20damage.
- https://www.rupahealth.com/post/the-role-of-functional-nutrition-in-optimizing-athletic-performance