I’ve been talking a lot about moderation this month, so far mostly about food … but guess what?
Moderation ALSO applies to exercise and your workouts.
The old days of “no pain, no gain” are definitely in our rear-view mirror. Instead, it’s about the “minimum effective dose” for results.
That means getting just enough exercise to maintain or improve your fitness, without overdoing it (especially when it comes to long or super-intense workouts).
More is definitely NOT better, for so many reasons.
Some of those reasons might surprise you:
- It can set you up for injury
- Your body needs time to recover between workouts
- It can lead to burnout
- It can make you feel hungry
- It can make you tired, which means you’re less active the rest of the day, burning fewer calories than would have without exercising, and
- Doing too many long or super-intense workouts is not good for your heart
The key is to find the right mix for your fitness level, your goals, and your likes/dislikes.
Your fitness prescription (recommended by the AHA):
- Strength training that hits all your major muscle groups at least twice a week.
- For cardio,150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week, spread out over the course of the week.
- PLUS … health experts recommend cutting back on how much time you spend sitting or lying around.
If it sounds confusing – it isn’t!
It works out to just 5 x 30-minute moderate-intensity sessions (walks, jogs, cardio machines, classes, etc.), OR 3 x 25-minute higher-intensity workouts a week, and two strength-oriented workouts.
Of course, you always want to check with your doctor before you start a new exercise or fitness program.
