A new take on activity for a New Year

Ready to get moving this New Year? Your Start Moving More path will help you make physical activity a regular part of your life.

You’ll learn how to get started, pick up specific exercises to try, and see how to stay motivated for the long term.

In this lesson, you’ll:

• Find out how much exercise you really need
• Explore the 3 main types of exercise: aerobics, resistance, and flexibility
• Create a clear action plan to get moving more (and a backup plan, too)

Regular exercise can work wonders

• It’s tough to overstate the benefits of moving more. Regular exercise helps keep your heart and lungs in shape, improves your mood, and strengthens your bones.
• Research has also found that when sedentary people with hypertension increased their activity by as little as 30 minutes per week, they experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure after just 8 weeks.
• Simply getting up from your chair every 30 minutes and stretching or pacing is associated with a longer lifespan.
• There’s no such thing as a cure-all, but physical activity may be the closest we’ll ever come to it.

Exercise: How much is enough?

• A common barrier to exercise is thinking that the amount you can (or are willing to) do isn’t enough to make a difference.
• It’s no wonder many of us feel that way. Recommendations around physical activity tend to involve a major time commitment.
• While 150 minutes of exercise a week is associated with the biggest health benefits, that can seem daunting — especially if you’re starting from scratch.
• Here’s some good news: Research confirms that a total of 90, 60, or even 30 minutes per week also has clear benefits.

You don’t need to go all out

Probably the biggest misconception about exercise is the idea that you have to push yourself hard.

“No pain, no gain” may be true for competitive athletes, but for the rest of us, activity that takes just a little effort (moderate-intensity) can deliver all of the benefits — with far less risk of injury or burnout.

Examples of moderate-intensity vs. high-intensity activities:

• Walking briskly vs. jogging/running
• Recreational swimming vs. swimming laps
• Raking leaves vs. shoveling snow

Moderate-intensity exercise is safe for most people, but not everyone. Follow your primary care provider’s recommendations.

Next, we’ll take a look at the three main forms of exercise: aerobic, resistance, and flexibility.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise involves repeated and continuous (but not necessarily strenuous!) movement of major muscle groups like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.

Bonus benefits: Aerobic exercise lowers stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, and stimulates the production of endorphins — brain chemicals that act as painkillers and mood elevators.

Resistance exercise

Otherwise known as strength training, resistance exercise involves challenging your muscles by pushing or pulling against some form of resistance. You can use your own body weight, use dumbbells or free weights, toss medicine balls, stretch resistance bands, or exercise in the pool.

Bonus benefits: Resistance exercise has been shown to build confidence and self-esteem. It can also reshape your body by reducing fat and improving muscle definition.

Flexibility

When it comes to flexibility, yoga and tai chi fall into this category, as do workouts that primarily involve stretching or joint mobility exercises. Maintaining balance and flexibility is important as we age, and these workouts are fantastic for improving posture and preventing injury.

Bonus benefits: Yoga and tai chi may be extra helpful at reducing mental and physical stress, as well as alleviating anxiety and depression.

Start with exercises you might enjoy

Of course, doing all three types of exercise will help you stay strong and feel your best. But if you’re mostly sedentary now, consider starting with the type you’re most likely to enjoy.

When we feel we’ve done something only because it’s good for our health, it can drain our motivation. But if you do what feels good to you in the moment, exercise becomes its own reward.

What do you want to try?

Most people in the program just starting out choose brisk walks near their home or workplace, one or more times a day. If you’re already exercising, you can add in an extra day a week or a new type of exercise. But as we shared, it’s best to do what you find enjoyable!

Which type of exercise would you like to focus on?

Aerobic

Resistance

Flexibility