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SHOW NOTES:
Balancing Work and Fitness
A good workout can leave you feeling energized, strong, and revitalized even after just a few minutes. Over the longer term, there are some very important health benefits from keeping a regular fitness routine.
You can see health benefits from head to toe…including your brain function and circulation to your digestive system, hormones, mood, and immune response, and your heart and lungs!
A well-rounded fitness strategy includes the 3 pillars of fitness - which are strength, stamina and flexibility.
Your body and health benefit from all 3…and it’s important to include all 3 in your fitness program - but how do you balance work and fitness to get all 3?
Fitness Pillar #1: Strength
Strength is more than just building big muscles…which is actually harder than most people think. It’s about having the strength to do regular activities in life with ease.
Strength work can include bodyweight exercises, machine weights, kettlebells, suspension trainers (like a TRX) or other equipment.
A minimum recommendation for most people is to do strength training at least two days a week, with a workout that targets all of your major muscle groups (legs, back, chest, etc.).
You can segment these and do upper body on one day, lower body the next…or, do 2 full body workouts.
Fitness Pillar #2: Endurance & Stamina
Endurance and stamina training is just like it sounds. You may commonly know this as “cardio”. It’s often most associated with the mood-boosting endorphin rush.
This can include walking, jogging/running, swimming, elliptical, cycling, just to name a few.
The standard recommendation for cardio is to get at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (or a combo of the two) over the course of a week.
It’s better if you spread this out. And, it may sound like a lot, but it’s only 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or you can chunk this into smaller segments if you want.
That being said, you get even MORE health benefits if you work out more…but you’ll want to build up to that over time.
Fitness Pillar #3: Flexibility & Mobility
Flexibility and mobility exercises help create supple, flexible muscles and reduce risk for injury. Looser muscles, which can mean fewer aches and pains...especially after an intense cardio or strength workout.
These exercises can lead to better posture, balance and improved performance.
The recommendation is to do flexibility & mobility exercises (like stretching or yoga) for all of your major muscle groups (shoulders, chest, back, hips, legs) at least 2-3 times a week.
And, it’s always a good idea to stretch after a strength or cardio workout…and you’ll notice less muscle soreness later.
Once again, well-rounded exercise programs include exercises that challenge your muscles so they get stronger, work your cardiovascular system so your endurance improves, and help your joints and muscles work through a full range of motion, keeping you feeling limber and mobile. Planning can help you balance work and fitness so you can reap all the benefits.
ENERGIZING ACTION
Now, I’d like to offer you an Energizing Action you can try today or this week:
Add stretching after your workout.
Whatever exercises or movement you’re doing this week, I want you to add some stretches afterwards. So many people forget, or just plain skip, stretching after a workout. Taking these extra few minutes will have a big impact on reaping the benefits of your workout and helping you feel so much better (and fewer sore muscles).
That’s what I have for you today. If you found it valuable, please like it, leave a review, share it with someone else who might find it valuable.
If you have any questions about creating a healthy lifestyle that works for you, please send them my way! FB or Instagram messenger under UPLIFT Healthy Lifestyle or email me at vicky@uplifthealthylifestyle.com.
Have an energized day!
RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
If you want some simple options for workouts under each category, you may like my Beginner Exercise Guide.
In it I outline all of the basics of getting in shape, in a practical way that will get you on the road toward real results.
It includes the benefits of fitness, workouts, strategies, and success tips, plus a 14-day workout plan you can follow. It’s a great way to jumpstart your way back into the swing of things!
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UPLIFT Healthy Lifestyle, LLC Disclaimer Please consult with your physician before beginning any yoga, fitness/exercise or nutrition program. By participating in the programs or tactics suggested by UPLIFT Healthy Lifestyle, LLC, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge UPLIFT Healthy Lifestyle, LLC from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of UPLIFT Healthy Lifestyle, LLC's negligence.