Exercise for Heart Health
We all know exercise is important….but just how important is it really?
We’re focusing on heart health this month, and more specifically in this post, we’re talking about heart health through exercise!
Exercise is so important for our heart health, even if you “just don’t like it.” I’ve had clients tell me they hate to exercise, it makes them sore, sick, etc. But exercise doesn’t mean going to the gym, getting on a machine, and doing something you don’t like. If you love those things, then great!!! But if you don’t, there are SO MANY other options for exercise.
Walking outside for 10-20 minutes a day has a ton of benefits including fresh air in your lungs, calories burned, blood flowing, etc.
You can find a sport that you love, ride a bike, play outside with your kids, etc!
Did you know… “In one study, exercising 15 minutes a day for eight years reduced all-cause mortality by 14% and increased life expectancy by three years.” (1)
This may sound like a long time “for 8 years”, but the truth is 8 years will come and go, and if you commit to exercising for just 15 minutes a day, you can increase your lifespan, God willing ;)
However, a little more goes a long way. I like to recommend 30 minutes a day, even if it’s broken up into three 10-minute increments throughout the day. Take a 10-minute walk in the morning, one on your lunch break, and another after dinner. You’ll burn an average of 200-300 calories a day!
Exercise is also known to reduce inflammation, boost mood, increase weight loss, & increase mobility (Range of Motion). “It has important benefits for mental health, physical fitness, weight maintenance, and the prevention of many chronic diseases. Indeed, exercise improves the function of your heart, lungs and blood vessels, and it also has beneficial effects on blood lipids.” (2)
So I hope you’ll challenge yourself and get moving. Mark it in your calendar as an important meeting to help you commit to it. We all know life can get crazy and exercise and self-care tends to be the first to go. But lets be honest, if you’re the healthiest you can be, you have so much more for those around you, you’re job, your family, your friends, etc.
P.S. It can be so beneficial to know what your body needs. To know how it best responds to exercise so you can get the “biggest bang for your buck”. Why waste time guessing what works best for you? This is the beauty of genetic testing. We don’t have to guess. Does your body love cardio? Does it respond best to weight training? Contact us on how to get tested to find out what’s the best exercise for your body type.
(2) Nutrigenomix test results
