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Many of us are guilty of not moving as much as we should.
Do you sit in the office all day, only stepping out for a quick lunch at the office cafeteria? Do you call for a taxi even when your destination is less than 2km away? Would you rather wait in line to get on the escalator even though no one is using the staircase next to it?
If so, you’re not alone. With the proliferation of technologies that allow us to get groceries and book transportation with just a few taps on our devices, our lifestyles have become increasingly sedentary.
Over time, this results in significant health risks. Studies have shown that those who do not lead an active lifestyle have a higher tendency of developing chronic conditions such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Physical activity helps our bodies to work at their best as it helps to keep the weight down and promotes mental well-being.
That’s not all. The many-fold benefits of regular exercise include:
- A lower risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers;
- Reduction of stress and anxiety;
- Mental well-being;
- Improved balance and coordination;
- Weight control;
- Better self-esteem as you look and feel good;
- Stronger bones, muscles and joints
If you are a working adult aged between 19 to 49, you can get the most out of exercise by following this guideline: simply accumulate 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
The types of activities matter as well. According to the National Physical Activity Guidelines launched by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), your exercise regime should include moderate to vigorous physical activities (MVPA), bringing your body close to maximum heart rate.
World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activities (MVPA) per week in sessions of at least 10 minutes each.
When doing such exercises, your breathing rate should increase. This means that when doing moderate-intensity exercises such as brisk walking (5-7 km/hr), dancing, low-impact aerobics, leisure cycling, you should still be able to talk but do not have enough breath to sing.
For vigorous-intensity workouts, you should be still able to say a few words but are not out of breath. Examples include jogging, steps aerobics, swimming laps, spinning and playing sports or ball games.
Exercises like yoga help to increase strength and flexibility. PHOTO: iSTOCK
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...lans-that-will-help-you-ace-your-fitness-game
