In our busy world, most of us want to do things conveniently. From the selection of food to our choice of leisure, we want almost everything instant. Our generation has produced a percentage of couch potatoes, while a lot of us also prefer an active lifestyle. Investments on eating a healthy diet, rather than fast food, inevitably go a long way. It does not only keep your body in shape but also maintains our internal organs in good health condition.
Obesity has become a significant health problem in many countries. For the United States, obesity rates have increased over the years. According to the World Health Organization’s data in 2016, the prevalence of overweight among adults is 39% women and 39% men. Overweight and obesity pose a high degree of risk to health. It is because an excessive or abnormal accumulation of fat can cause chronic diseases like stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
Say Yes to Exercise and Diet
A healthy and balanced diet can help you achieve your ideal body weight. But if partnered with exercise, it can effectively speed up your weight loss. As recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy BMI (body mass index) range is between 18.5 to 25 for both males and females. Going beyond that range makes you overweight or obese.
That is why it’s very crucial to watch what you eat. The number of calories you consume each day can impact your overall health. It is also essential to do daily or frequent exercises as it can also help you reach an optimal degree of fitness. Exercise can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar and increase your metabolism, preventing you from having chronic diseases. So if you’re struggling with your weight and health, it’s time to say yes to exercise and diet!
The Different Types of Exercise
There are many varieties of exercises that you can choose from. Health experts suggest that you pick the activities you enjoy, so you’ll be able to commit to it. Here are the common types of exercise:
Aerobic
Aerobic exercise means “with oxygen.” It is commonly called as “cardio” since it includes any type of cardiovascular exercise like running, brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. You can also do aerobic exercises through online classes of Zumba. During aerobic exercise, your breathing and heart rate will increase, helping you improve cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency. As recommended by The American Heart Association, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five or more days each week enables you to maintain good health.
Yoga
Yoga originated in ancient India. It is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline which aids in weight loss. According to the American Osteopathic Association, yoga can help you achieve increased muscle strength and tone, increased flexibility, improved cardio and circulatory health, and improved respiration, energy and vitality, among others. You can also do yoga at home through online classes.
Weight Training
Muscle building and strength training have a lot of health benefits, such as weight reduction and bone improvement. Weight training can also reduce your risk of fractures from osteoporosis. The recommended frequency of weight training, according to experts is three times per week. It is also vital to work all the major muscle groups such as:
- forearms
- hamstrings
- quads
- shoulders
- calves
- chest
- traps
- Triceps
- abs
- back
- biceps
How Many Calories Do You Burn?
The average female adult needs to eat 2,000 per day to maintain her weight while the adult male needs to consume 2,500 calories a day to maintain his weight. The more calories that enter your body, the more weight you gain. The more calories that leave your body, the more weight you lose. In summary, the degree of your weight loss is determined by how many calories that come in and out of your body.
Here are the most common exercise or activities and their estimated amount of calories burned per hour:
- gardening, brisk walking, biking, dancing= 370 to 460 calories
- cleaning the house, playing baseball, golf= 240 to 300 calories
- skiing, running (at a seven-minute-mile pace), racquetball= 740 to 920 calories
- jogging (at a nine-minute-mile pace), playing football, swimming= 580 to 730
Make Exercise Your Lifestyle
It’s true when they say that a habit turns into a lifestyle. Making exercise your habit will eventually make exercise become your lifestyle. Our investments in our health should always be our priority. It will not only keep us active and functioning but, especially, help us reach our maximum potential in life.
Incorporating exercise with diet is the key to achieving a healthy body weight. Also, it is imperative to not only prioritize physical health alone. Making sure that your mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health are well-balanced will keep you away from other health problems too. Getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol and smoking, exercise, a healthy diet, drinking lots of water, and having a regular check-up is your best health insurance.