Basic health-fitness exercise recommendations:
The following are recommendations for the minimal amount of exercise required for producing the benefits described in part one.
Aerobic activity: 3 to 5 times per week
20 to 60 minutes per session
Resistance training: 2 times per week
8 to 12 reps per exercise
8 to 10 exercises, including all muscle groups
Stretching: 3 to 5 times per week
Aerobic exercise appears to be beneficial even at fairly low intensities. But the lower the intensity, the longer the workout duration needs to be. In other words, 20 minutes per session is enough if you are working at a high intensity. If you are walking at a moderate pace, 45 minutes to an hour would be a better length.
Of course, you will want to be sure any changes you make in your exercise program are right for you, and that you are performing new exercises safely and effectively. Check with your doctor if you have health risk or concerns.
Every activity counts:
In addition to the basic recommendations given above, daily activity of every kind contributes to physical fitness and good health. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking our errands, volleyball on the beach, working in the garden, playing with the kids -- all burn calories and contribute to a high-energy life-style that reduces risk of heart disease.
Start slowly:
If you are new to exercise, build your exercise program gradually. You are in it for the long haul - it’s a lifetime activity that counts. Ask a fitness professional for help designing a program that is right for you, one that takes into consideration your health concerns and fitness goals. Your objective for the first few months is to stay injury-free and healthy, and set up a routine that’s going to become a lifelong habit.
The bottom line: “Anything is better than nothing!”
Do these recommendations seem overwhelming? Start small! Perhaps two exercise sessions per week that include some aerobic exercise, 10 to 15 minutes of weight work and five minutes of stretching. Maybe a walk on the weekend. This routine would contribute significant health benefits over the years.
Interesting facts about exercise:
If the nose is stopped up, practice for a few minutes of what is called the “jumping-jack”. Jethro Kloss, author of “Back to Eden”, comments, “I have seen a stopped up nose that would not open up, do so when this exercise was done.”
Research suggests that exercise improves the chances of successfully stopping smoking. A recent Brown University study found that women who exercised were less likely to begin smoking again.
Black Hills Health and Education center is a medical wellness retreat offering wellness programs and lifestyle change in a beautiful setting of the Black Hills in South Dakota. Lifestyle centers offering lifestyle programs such as are offered at BHHEC are known by several different names among which are: Lifestyle Center, Wellness Spa, Medical Wellness Resort, Medical Wellness Spa.
The Black Hills Health and Education center is unique in that it offers a Christian based lifestyle program that includes everything from Lodging and meals, physicals and comprehensive blood work to daily treatments, exercise sessions with a personal trainer in the gym, classes presented by physicians, exercise director,(Dick Nunez) and other staff, cooking classes, sightseeing tours (Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park Wild Animal Game preserve) and aquatics classes at the lovely swim center in Rapid City. Also included are counseling and stress-relief classes.
CLICK HERE to Visit Black Hills Health and Education Center Website