It is true that doing even gentle exercise is better than doing no exercise.
It is also true that if you are just starting an exercise routine after being sedentary or if you have a chronic medical condition, you should keep exercise light and brief, taking care not overexert because you can become injured. Always get your doctor’s OK before starting an exercise program.
Once you have been cleared for exercise by your doctor and you’ve been exercising for several weeks at an easy pace, it’s time to pick up the pace. Up the ante. Go for the gusto! Go for moderate exercise.
To get a rough estimate if your exercise routine is giving you health benefits, you can ask yourself, “How hard is this exercise for me?” If you can honestly say that your exercise routine is ‘somewhat hard,’ then you are getting at least moderate benefits. Your weight, your blood pressure, your resting pulse, and your cholesterol levels along with your cardiorespiratory endurance will show moderate improvement, that is, if you are dedicating 30 minutes a day on 5 days of the week to exercise. For most people, even moderate benefits show a marked improvement.
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This ‘somewhat hard’ level of exercise is safe and effective for most adults. Somewhat hard levels of exercise will allow you to breathe regularly without becoming short of breath. You may feel that you are breathing harder, but you should not be gasping for breath. At this level, you are not likely to develop overuse injuries.Get the most health bang for your exercise buck. If you judge your exercise to be easier than ‘somewhat hard,’ you are probably not getting the benefits you are hoping to see. Moderate exercise can bring you significant health benefits and keep you looking and feelingyour best.
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Comments
I did not read this article. I am trying to get in touch with a reporter that is interested in a real health story. My brother was born with renal ricketts. He has had over 80 surgeries. 8 of these surgeries were done by Dr. William McGarvey of Houston, TX this year. He was a God send. However, my brother has had many doctors who have taken advantage of him. He tried to get help from an attorney in Tulsa Oklahoma, and the attorney was bought off. My brother contracted staph when he was seven years old in a hospital. His life has been a living hell since then. We have medical evidence of all this. I am sure Dr. McGarvey could be helpful in revealing the truth. My brother is currently living with me because he is disabled and cannot take care of himself. This is not right. He deserves to have his dream of owning his own home and living independently. If doctors and attorneys were held accountable for their wrong doings, he would have these things. He did not do anything to deserve the tragic health problems in his life. Please help him. My phone number is 281-782-6202. Please call me. This would be a great way for you to advance your career, and it would be a great way for my brother to receive the help he deserves.
jo ann,
your story deserves to be heard, but unfortunately, i can not help you. i am an exercise physiologist, not a reporter. i am not qualified to give your story the attention or the expertise that it needs. good luck.
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