About 26.2% of US women are obese or overweight as a result of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. This corresponds to approximately 70 million women over 20 years of age.
In addition to helping control weight, regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 Diabetes, and some types of cancer, like colon. It also helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and prevents osteoporosis.
Women In Action
To break physical inactivity, those who have been inactive for a long period should take into account the most important thing is to practice exercise regularly. The aim is to put the body in motion in a gradual and constant manner.
Therefore, experts recommend choosing a sport or activity that is commensurate with the physical condition of each woman.
• Moderate-Intense Activity:
Walking on a surface with elevations at a brisk pace of 3-4 mph (4.8 to 6.4 Km). Other options are: dancing, slow bicycling, and moderate housework.
Duration:
For the body to benefit, it is necessary to perform this type of exercise for two hours and 30 minutes per week.
During the activity, you will notice an increase of your heart rate, which shouldn’t make it difficult to speak comfortably.
• Vigorous Activity – Intense Weight Training:
Some examples are: jogging, quick or uphill cycling, playing tennis, or pushing a lawn mower.
Duration:
It is recommended to practice these aerobic activities during 1 hour and 15 minutes per week.
It is easy to verify if our activity is vigorous: the heart beats faster and it is difficult to hold a conversation. Se recomienda practicar estas actividades aeróbicas durante 1 hora y 15 minutos por semana.
• Muscle Training: Working with weights or muscle-strengthening machines is recommended 2 times a week or more. But before starting a fitness workout, consult with your doctor, especially those suffering from back problems.
Add More Exercise to Your Routine
Besides choosing a physical activity to practice certain times a week, you can implement some changes to your daily routine, in order to keep moving:
• If you can’t do all the exercise at once, do it in “batches.” For example, instead of taking a long walk, divide it into three 10-minute walks.
• Find opportunities to be more active in your daily life. For example, you can park your car further away, or if you take the bus or train, get down one or two stops early and then walk.
• Try going to the store or work bicycling or walking.
• Take your dog out for a walk around the neighborhood.
• Instead of taking the elevator, go up the stairs!
• Instead of using the phone to order lunch, go buy it yourself!
• Use your lunch time or breaks to take short walks or stretch.
• Change your activities so you don’t get bored. For example, you can use your bike one day and jog another.
Finally, don’t expect results to appear immediately. Changes take weeks or even months. The important thing is that even if you don’t see them, internal changes have already begun!
Source: www.womenshealth.gov and www.fitnessday.com
