"No pain, no gain! Yearn for the burn!" With these athlete battle cries deeply imbedded in our minds, it's no wonder people shy away from exercise — they think it's too hard, so why bother. Truth is, you don't need to exercise until you're blue in the face for it to be effective. Even light to moderate physical activity can offer health and fitness benefits.
The CSEP guidelines recommend adults accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.. Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Most importantly, working out makes you feel good and improves your quality of life.
Walking
Walking is, by far, the most popular form of exercise today. It's a very functional activity often taken for granted and seldom appreciated. But you need not trudge away on a treadmill until your clothes are sopping wet. A leisurely walk done for a longer duration can be just as effective and burn the same number of calories as its higher-intensity cousin.
Easy does it
Ease into your walking program. Build your fitness base by walking at a comfortable pace for short durations, perhaps five- to ten-minute sessions. Even if you think you can do more, resist the temptation: Doing too much too soon can cause undue fatigue and muscle soreness. And be sure to wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes.
Fun first
You're more apt to stick with exercise if you like what you're doing, so focus first on fun. Exercise in your favourite places. Try trail walking if you like the woods. Go for a walk on the beach or around the lake if you're a water baby. Join a mall-walking club if you live in an area with harsh winter weather. You might even join your local health club if it'll make you "walk the straight and narrow." But the same "easy-does-it" rules apply; don't worry about how hard everyone else is working.
Move to improve
As your fitness level improves, you can alter the variables to add kick to the workout. But this doesn't have to mean just increasing your pace (intensity), or exercising longer (time). If you don't like to sweat, you can also add an extra day to your routine (frequency).
It's all about what you like! Enjoy your exercise.