Physical Activity

Exercise has to be fun or we won’t do it!

Some of us enjoy squats (personally I don’t know anyone), while others get a high from running. Taking a virtual or in-person Dance Class, Pilates or Spinning class may be a more enjoyable experience for you. Keeping fit with both resistance exercise and some form of aerobic exercise is important for maintaining health and reducing our risk of developing chronic disease. Resistance training keeps our neuro-muscular-skeletal system strong. This prevents falls, improves balance, lets us perform athletic hobbies, and allows us to perform activities of daily living as we continue to age. Participating in aerobic exercise helps our heart and lungs stay healthy, giving us the stamina to keep pace with an active lifestyle that includes work, children and grandchildren.

But an hour of exercise a day does not undo the damage to our bodies from sitting the rest of the day. Staying physically active throughout the day will further help decrease chronic inflammation and lower our risk of chronic disease. You may have heard the saying that “sitting is the new smoking.” There is some truth to that and the field of exercise science has shown a sedentary life with little purposeful movement is very damaging.

Exercise has to be fun or we won’t do it!

Some of us enjoy squats (personally I don’t know anyone), while others get a high from running. Taking a virtual or in-person Dance Class, Pilates or Spinning class may be a more enjoyable experience for you. Keeping fit with both resistance exercise and some form of aerobic exercise is important for maintaining health and reducing our risk of developing chronic disease.

Resistance training keeps our neuro-muscular-skeletal system strong. This prevents falls, improves balance, lets us perform athletic hobbies, and allows us to perform activities of daily living as we continue to age. Participating in aerobic exercise helps our heart and lungs stay healthy, giving us the stamina to keep pace with an active lifestyle that includes work, children and grandchildren.


But an hour of exercise a day does not undo the damage to our bodies from sitting the rest of the day. Staying physically active throughout the day will further help decrease chronic inflammation and lower our risk of chronic disease. You may have heard the saying that “sitting is the new smoking.” There is some truth to that and the field of exercise science has shown a sedentary life with little purposeful movement is very damaging.

Throughout evolution, humans were designed to move.

But exercise as we know it today is not natural. For hundreds of thousands of years we expended the right amount of energy by foraging or hunting for food. When we stopped hunting and gathering during the early Agricultural Revolution we continued to spend energy planting and harvesting. To remain healthy today, we need to get out of our chairs and move more.

Suggestions to help us be more active:

Increase exercise slowly.

Find a fun activity that doesn’t feel like exercise.

Remind yourself of a time when you were more active — how can you recreate it?

Find someone to join you.

Be kind to yourself if you miss a day or more — you don’t have to be perfect.

Think about getting up from your chair and walk around for 10 minutes every hour.

Park your car away from the entrance, use the steps not the elevator and move your trash can and printer into the other room.

Gardening, bike riding, and dancing are other ways to keep moving.

Walk the dog for 10 minutes several times a day.

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Websites

Medical News Today Suggestions For Movement at Work

Millions of us have jobs that require us to sit at desks or around conference tables for several hours per day. Many health risks are associated with sitting down for prolonged periods — but how do we stay active in the workplace? We find out.

American Heart Association Suggestions For More Activity at Work

If you’re like most American adults, you spend most of your waking hours at work and struggle to fit everything else (like exercise) into your “free time.” And who are we kidding, sometimes by the end of the work day there’s little time or energy left for getting active.

Books

Disclaimer:

The appearance of external links on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by Dr. Neil Cooper or Neil Cooper, MD, LLC of external websites or the information, products or services contained therein.

Physical Activity Videos

Being Physically Active As We Age

- Dr. Michele Arthurs                                Mar 19, 2019
Our bodies are made to move and at Kaiser we want to encourage you to participate in regular physical activity. Hear from Dr. Michele Arthurs, a Kaiser Permanente doctor, on the benefits of exercise, types that you can participate in, and the importance of setting small goals as well as celebrating your success.

The Brain-changing Benefits of Exercise

- Wendy Suzuki                                         Mar 21, 2018
What's the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today? Exercise! says neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. Get inspired to go to the gym as Suzuki discusses the science of how working out boosts your mood and memory -- and protects your brain against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

What happens inside your body when you exercise?

- British Heart Foundation                     Apr 03, 2017
We all know exercise is good for us, but what actually happens inside your body when you get active? Watch to find out, and learn more about the benefits of exercise for your heart.

Disclaimer:

The appearance of external links on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by Dr. Neil Cooper or Neil Cooper, MD, LLC of external websites or the information, products or services contained therein.