Does it matter what type of exercise I do to become fit?
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Dr. Dean Ornish answered:What if you want more than just health benefits? What if you want increased fitness? A recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the same amount of exercise - sixty to ninety minutes a week - improved fitness quickly in people who were very unfit: overweight, sedentary, and with borderline high blood pressure.
The belief that exercise means superstrenuous workouts is a key reason that more than half the people who start an exercise program quit, usually within six months. I’d quit, too, if I thought I had to spend hours a day on a stair machine.
Park a little farther from work or the mall and walk a bit more? That can give you ten minutes of exercise a day. Enjoy dancing, yoga, swimming, biking, or gardening? They all count as exercise. So does making love with your beloved, “horizontal aerobics,” which has the added benefit of love and intimacy. If you incorporate any physical activity you enjoy into your daily life, it doesn’t take much to gain the physical and emotional benefits of exercise.
When people ask me what I do for exercise, I explain that I use an elliptical trainer (low-impact aerobics) and weight machines on a regular basis. I also practice yoga, enjoy tennis, hike, and take karate classes with Anne and Lucas.
Find out more about this book: The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer,...Helpful? 2 people found this helpful
What if you want more than just health benefits? What if you want increased fitness? A recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the same amount of exercise - sixty to ninety minutes a week - improved fitness... More -
Beth Oliver answered:
Well, yes and no. Anything is better than nothing. A form of exercise that you enjoy is better than one that you don’t because it’s more likely that you will do it.
Aerobic exercise is best for your cardiovascular system. Weight training, including body weight training, helps to increase muscle mass. With doesn’t necessarily mean “bigger” but helps improve strength and metabolism. In a perfect world, a variety of exercise modalities, or forms, is best.Helpful? 4 people found this helpful
Well, yes and no. Anything is better than nothing. A form of exercise that you enjoy is better than one that you don’t because it’s more likely that you will do it. Aerobic exercise is best for your cardiovascular system. Weight... More -
If you want to become fit start by figuring out what you enjoy doing or have enjoyed doing. For example, many people forget that they really enjoyed riding a bicycle when they were a kid. Riding a bicycle is also something you can do as an adult. The best type of exercise is something you enjoy. Participating in activities that you enjoy and that you find fulfilling will help motivate you to exercise. As you participate in activities you enjoy not only are you motivated but you begin to feel better, look better and you build self confidence. When you feel better, look better and have higher self confidence you are more willing to be more active, take more risks and adhere to exercise.If you want to become fit start by figuring out what you enjoy doing or have enjoyed doing. For example, many people forget that they really enjoyed riding a bicycle when they were a kid. Riding a bicycle is also something you can do as an adult.... More -
Jeff Croswell answered:Yes and no. No because you can find many things to exercise with that you enjoy to help you keep fit. There is no one fits all program to be healthy. As the saying goes around here "Move it and Lose it". However, depending on what your goals are you might have to do specific things in your routine to keep you fit. You may need to eat a certain way, training your body to certain cardiovascular programs a certain way or even do resistance training a certain way. In the end though as long as your challenge your body to improve it will keep you fit.Yes and no. No because you can find many things to exercise with that you enjoy to help you keep fit. There is no one fits all program to be healthy. As the saying goes around here "Move it and Lose it". However, depending on... More -
Jonathan Penney of National Academy of Sports Medicine answered:Having a set goal is great and if your goal is to get fit then the type of exercise will matter. If what you selected did not matter then you may simply complete push-ups everyday for the rest of your life and this would not be something I would suggest. You need to keep your body balanced. By balanced, you should have an equal amount of cardiovascular activity mixed with strength training to be sure your body runs efficiently.
An example training day may include: Warm-up for 5-7 minutes with some form of dynamic warm-up. Following, complete 12-15 minutes of cardiovascular activity such as using the stairmaster. Next, choose 4-5 exercises and circuit through these 2-3 times. Lastly, be sure to cool down with proper post-workout flexibility stretching.
Having a set goal is great and if your goal is to get fit then the type of exercise will matter. If what you selected did not matter then you may simply complete push-ups everyday for the rest of your life and this would not be something I... More
