Get Moving!
Author: Hannah Hall, Challenge America Program Coordinator
Did you know that according to the CDC, adults should do 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week? This is approximately 22 minutes a day! “Moderate-intensity” refers to brisk walking, yard work, playing with children, biking at a casual pace, etc.
Today, I want to talk about walking! As someone who looks forward to my “mental health walk” everyday, I want to give some encouragement and tips to get you started as well. Taking a short, brisk walk has so many benefits! To begin, walking has been shown to lower risk factors for cardiovascular problems, decrease body fat, decrease blood sugar levels, improve your lipid profile and reduce chronic stress.
Although 150 minutes sounds like a lot, it’s important to note that it doesn’t have to all be done at once! Taking a 5 minute walk 2-3 times a day (or other physical activity) can improve your overall health.
Here are some statistics on physical activity and how it can benefit and improve your overall health:
One study, published in The Lancet in 2011, found even 15 minutes of light exercise each day could reduce the risk of dying from any cause by 14% during an average eight years of follow-up.
A study published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke found people with low levels of activity with eight or more hours of daily sedentary time had up to seven times higher risk of stroke than the more physically active people who reported less than four hours of sedentary time.
While the goal of 10,000 steps per day is widely promoted, a JAMA Network Open study followed people for more than a decade on average and found those who took at least 7,000 steps each day were 50%-70% less likely to die than those who walked fewer.
Whether it’s 2 minutes a day or 200 minutes a day, some exercise is better than none. However, with all this talk about walking, I wanted to give some resources for those that may have mobility restrictions or just don’t enjoy walking due to pain and discomfort! It’s important to note that if you have mobility issues, you should consult your doctor before exercising and always stop if you begin to feel pain or discomfort. Below are some exercises you may try if you have mobility issues:
Isometric Exercise - these are exercises that involve pushing against an immovable object or another body part without lengthening the muscle or moving the joint. This is often recommended by physical therapists to help maintain strength if you have arthritis or an injury.
Electro Muscle Stimulation - this involves using an electric current through electrodes to contract the muscle. This can also help with a long term injury, long term mobility issues and general muscle loss.
Swimming - Water is a great way to get exercise without putting as much strain on your muscles. Water aerobics, swimming laps or even just getting in the pool with children can be a great way to get active!
We hope you are able to get out and be active today, tomorrow and everyday. Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day and we at Challenge America would like to take a moment to thank you for your hard work and physical activity that you gave to serve this country. We know that for many of you, that time may have taken some of your mobility and strength and we commend you for that sacrifice.
