Beginners Guide to Exercise
To achieve health benefits, adults are recommended to accumulate a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate- intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week in sessions of at least 10 minutes. - The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
Aerobic exercise, also commonly known as “cardio”, is any type of activity that gets you breathing heavier and your heart working harder to provide more oxygen-rich blood to your body. Aerobic exercise is done at low to moderate intensity and works to improve body composition and cardiovascular function – your heart and lungs become stronger. Types of aerobic activities include:
- Walking
- Running (jogging)
- Marching in place
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Kickboxing
- Cycling
- Hiking
There are many ways to achieve the minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity. Tips to achieving your goal:
- 1 hour, 3 x per week
- 30 minutes, 5 x per week
- 20-25 minutes, 7 x per week
- 10-15 minutes 2x/day, 5-7 days per week
Following these recommendations can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity!
Additionally, it is recommended to incorporate anaerobic (oxygen deficit) and muscle-strengthening exercises two or more times per week. Anaerobic exercise is done at high intensities and works to build muscle and bone strength which is important for a healthy body. This type of exercise improves our metabolism and helps prevent injuries and chronic diseases. Types of anaerobic and muscle strengthening activities include:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Pushups
- Running (sprinting)
- Resistance Band Training
- Weight Lifting
- High Intensity Interval Training (HITT)
