Advice on Lifestyle Management

The single best thing you can do for your health is exercise

All it takes is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise performed on most days of the week to improve health.

For those of you who have busy work or family schedules you do not have to exercise all in one go. It is equally effective when broken up into 2 sessions of 15 minutes, or 3 sessions of 10 minutes performed throughout the day.

WHY IS EXERCISE GOOD FOR YOU

There are numerous health benefits associated with exercise. Listed below are the main benefits of regular exercise

• Improves Heart and Lung Function
• Improves stamina
• Improves muscle, tendon and bone strength
• Helps lower blood pressure
• Helps reduce body fat
• Helps reduce the risk of falling
• Helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Helps to enhance your mood and produces a sense of well being

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH EXERCISE

Regular exercise is better than a vigorous bout that is only performed once a week. If you have not been active for a while, start slowly and build up gradually. Start with 30 minutes of continuous exercise performed on most days of the week. At first if you find it difficult to sustain 30 minutes of continuous exercise try starting with a 10 minute mini workout and do this three times a day.

To increase your fitness levels further try taking extra steps in your daily schedule.

For example:

• Use the stairs rather than the lift
• Park at the furthest end of the car park
• If you use the bus why not stop at the previous bus stop and walk the rest of the way to your destination

WHAT ARE THE BEST TYPES OF EXERCISE

All exercise is good for you, but different exercises benefit different parts of the body. There are three main components to exercise, aerobic, strength and stretching.

AEROBIC EXERCISE

Aerobic exercises are activities such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, rowing and dancing. If you are just starting out it is better to start with walking or cycling because these are very natural activities that can be started at a low work level. The main purpose of aerobic exercise is to make your heart grow stronger so that it can pump more blood with each beat. This means that you can carry out every day tasks with ease. Strength training also firms and tightens the muscles.

STRETCHING EXERCISES

Stretching improves flexibility and suppleness, which keeps muscles from shortening and stiffening and keeps joints mobile.

CARE DURING EXERCISE

For most people physical activity should not pose any problems or hazards. When coming to BodyZone for your induction you will receive a health screening. This will ensure you are taking no unavoidable risk by exercising with us. If any contra-indication is found you will be asked to visit your GP and obtain a letter from them to start your exercise routine.

Listen to your body, it is important to establish what are the signs and symptoms of exertion and what is not

Signs are - Mild breathlessness, warm, perspiring, should be able to hold a conversation

If you experience any of the following symptoms whilst exercising stop immediately and consult your doctor

• Feeling dizziness
• Pains in the chest, neck or arms
• Troublesome breathlessness
• Prolonged fatigue

• Always warm up and cool down
  - without an adequate warm up you could put yourself at risk from muscle injury and cardiac complications
  - Without adequate cool down you could put yourself at risk from muscle injuries and hypotension (sudden drop in blood pressure)

• Avoid exercise after a heavy meal (allow 2-3 hours)
• Avoid exercise if you are suffering from a systemic illness such as a cold or if you feel fatigued
• Avoid exercise in extreme heat or cold
• Maintain hydration, drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout
• Always consult your GP and/or instructor about your exercise routine if you are starting to take prescription medication

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