Let's start with the basics: move more, sit less.
Pretty straight forward.
There are some very obvious reasons to exercise - we've all heard them forever. So here, let's dig into some cool new info.
First, there's the blood sugar issue. Moving your body for 10 -15 minutes after a meal, sends a message to muscles to absorb the glucose in your bloodstream after you eat. In a meta-analysis, recently published in the journal Sports Medicine, researchers looked at the results of seven studies that compared the effects of sitting versus standing or walking on measures of heart health, including insulin and blood sugar levels. They found that light walking after a meal, in increments of as little as two to five minutes, had a significant impact in moderating blood sugar levels.
Walking within 60 to 90 minutes after eating delivers the best results. Although light walking at any time is good for your health, a short walk within 60 to 90 minutes of eating a meal can be especially useful in minimizing blood sugar spikes, as that is when blood sugar levels tend to peak.
Think of it like an exercise snack.
Next is this interesting nugget:
Associations Of Physical Inactivity And COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups
This study is another great example of how movement can positively impact health risks. I love highlighting information like this because it shows we have control over our health and empowers us to make positive choices. The study found that any amount of exercise was protective against severe Covid-19 outcomes, even as little as eleven minutes per week. Adults who worked out thirty minutes per day most days of the week were four times more likely to survive Covid-19 than inactive people. A strong dose-response effect was found, meaning the more exercise the better the outcomes. Results were generally consistent across sex, race and ethnicity, age, and BMI categories and for patients with cardiovascular disease or hypertension. It’s never too late to get moving, just be sure you’re starting at a level that is right for you.
What's the right level for you? Start slow if you've been very sedentary. Simply move more, sit less.
Once we've got some walking underway, we don't want to neglect another critical factor in the realm of exercise and that's STRENGTH TRAINING!
Quick outline as to why you need to focus on building muscle:
Pretty straight forward.
There are some very obvious reasons to exercise - we've all heard them forever. So here, let's dig into some cool new info.
First, there's the blood sugar issue. Moving your body for 10 -15 minutes after a meal, sends a message to muscles to absorb the glucose in your bloodstream after you eat. In a meta-analysis, recently published in the journal Sports Medicine, researchers looked at the results of seven studies that compared the effects of sitting versus standing or walking on measures of heart health, including insulin and blood sugar levels. They found that light walking after a meal, in increments of as little as two to five minutes, had a significant impact in moderating blood sugar levels.
Walking within 60 to 90 minutes after eating delivers the best results. Although light walking at any time is good for your health, a short walk within 60 to 90 minutes of eating a meal can be especially useful in minimizing blood sugar spikes, as that is when blood sugar levels tend to peak.
Think of it like an exercise snack.
Next is this interesting nugget:
Associations Of Physical Inactivity And COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups
This study is another great example of how movement can positively impact health risks. I love highlighting information like this because it shows we have control over our health and empowers us to make positive choices. The study found that any amount of exercise was protective against severe Covid-19 outcomes, even as little as eleven minutes per week. Adults who worked out thirty minutes per day most days of the week were four times more likely to survive Covid-19 than inactive people. A strong dose-response effect was found, meaning the more exercise the better the outcomes. Results were generally consistent across sex, race and ethnicity, age, and BMI categories and for patients with cardiovascular disease or hypertension. It’s never too late to get moving, just be sure you’re starting at a level that is right for you.
What's the right level for you? Start slow if you've been very sedentary. Simply move more, sit less.
Once we've got some walking underway, we don't want to neglect another critical factor in the realm of exercise and that's STRENGTH TRAINING!
Quick outline as to why you need to focus on building muscle:
- Strength training enhances your quality of life and improves your ability to do everyday activities. We naturally atrophy and begin losing muscle mass around age 30 if we don't work to keep and grow it. Strength training also benefits your balance, coordination, and posture.
- Strength training protects bone health. According to a study published in October 2017 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, just 30 minutes, twice a week of high intensity resistance training was shown to improve functional performance, as well as bone density, structure, and strength in postmenopausal women with low bone mass — and it had no negative effects.
- Strength training helps burn calories more efficiently. Simply put, muscles are metabolically efficient and support weight loss by burning more calories at rest. Research also suggests that your metabolic rate is increased after weight training, meaning you’re still burning additional calories hours after your workout has ended. In fact, studies have shown that your metabolic rate can stay elevated for up to 72 hours after a workout.
- Strength training can also protect your joints from injury. Numerous studies have demonstrated that weightlifting and strength training help strengthen your joints as well as your muscles and bones. The long-term effects of weightlifting can provide you with decreased pain, even if you have arthritis.
- Strength Training Boosts Energy Levels and Improves Your Mood. All exercise boosts mood because it increases endorphins but for strength training, additional research that’s looked at neurochemical and neuromuscular responses to such workouts offers further evidence it has a positive effect on the brain.
- Strength training and building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.