Your Health

We already know that physical activity plays a positive role in improving the quality of life. While it boosts energy, sleep cycles, mood and health, it also helps in combatting depression and stress. Despite the multiple benefits of physical fitness; quitting a sedentary routine, adopting a healthy lifestyle and being consistent in the efforts towards a transformed self is challenging.

Experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This can include brisk walking, brisk cycling, or even household chores that require physical effort and help raise the heart rate.

Benefits

Other than helping to maintain weight, and improve bone and functional health; regular physical activity can help to reduce:

• Risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, colon cancer, breast cancer, type-2 diabetes and osteoporosis
• Risk of high blood pressure
• Risk of premature death
• Arthritis pain and associated disability
• Symptoms of depression and anxiety

Tips to remain physically fit

• Daily exercise

Physical fitness does not need to be compromised even if you are a stay-at-home mother, father or a student enjoying an academic break. Even if it is not possible for one to work out the recommended daily 30 minutes in one go, breaking down working out time into two or three sessions of 10 minutes each in the entire day will also reap the same benefit

• Use the stairs instead of the elevator
• Use opportunities when you can, to walk, bike or run, e.g. when running errands
• Keep yourself hydrated
• Eat more vegetables
• Cut back on unhealthy habits and addictions, e.g. smoking, consuming alcohol

Sources

https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/pa-ap/07paap-eng.php

https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/

https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_myths/en/

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html