Understanding all about physical activity for beginners The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released the first report on physical activity. According to the report, around 500 million people worldwide could develop problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. […]
Understand everything about physical activities for beginners
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released the first report on physical activity. According to the report, around 500 million people worldwide could develop problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease between 2020 and 2030 if they remain sedentary. Many people want to get into some type of physical activity, but don’t know where to start. If this is your case, you are on the right page. Throughout the text we will talk about physical activity for beginners by addressing the following topics:
Benefits of physical activity;
What do I need to know before starting?
What is the ideal physical activity for beginners;
How much minimum time do I have to practice?
Advice for those just starting out
Why did we decide to write about it?
Well, however much (or not) countries governments take measures to encourage exercise practice, it is up to YOU to decide that it is time to change and start exercising and that is why we want you to be well-informed and prepared to take an attitude WHEN and IF you decide you want to get out of a sedentary lifestyle.
Benefits of physical activity;
Physical activity has the power to transform your health, you read that right,
To commute
Your health. By exercising you help your body prevent several diseases such as:
- Boosts mood: when you practice exercises you release hormones such as endorphins, dopamine and seratonin which are responsible for bringing the feeling of well-being to our body.
- Decreases stress and fights depression and anxiety: It balances the level of hormones responsible for stress such as Cortisol and Adrenaline by reducing their production and release. In addition to stimulating the production of hormones that lead to a feeling of well-being and improve the quality of sleep, it provides the practitioner with adequate rest which is often impossible when suffering from stress, depression and anxiety.
- Heart disease: QWhen we exercise, our heart rate increases so the heart can deliver more oxygenated blood to our muscles. In this way we were able to strengthen our heart, lower blood pressure and improve blood circulation.
- Weight loss: By exercising we get more energy and we speed up our metabolism, with this we are able to burn the calories we consume faster and as a result we start to lose weight.
- Fight Diabetes: Exercises help us reduce blood sugar levels and are excellent allies in the fight against diabetes if practiced frequently.
What do I need to know before starting?
Before you start, you need to know that it’s not just about walking for 20 minutes every day and that’s it.
. “Oh, so you mean I can’t just go for a walk?”
It’s not that either!
You can and should go on your own walk whenever possible.
But for the exercises to have all the benefits mentioned before, the ideal is that you have a
adequate sequel.
Consult a health professional for evaluation and guidance on what exercises you can and cannot do. It is important that you know your limits and do not go from 0 to 100 overnight, this could be less beneficial than you would like and cause you injuries which will prevent you from continuing to practice the chosen activity and which would be totally against what we want here. If possible, count on a healthcare team to guide you, a sports doctor if possible, or a general practitioner who will evaluate you as a whole and give you basic guidelines to move on to the next stage. This professional can monitor your evolution each time you return after starting the activity and also give you advice on how to increase the degree of difficulty as you evolve and reach high performance. Having a physical education professional by your side can also make a big difference in your goals. Look, we are not saying to hire a personal trainer, you can find them in the gym giving directions to beginning students and accompanying other students or even in free group classes which are offered in many NGOs and even some town halls.
What is the ideal physical activity for beginners;
- A twenty minute walk every day it is enough to change your organism. You can start by going up and down a few flights of stairs, stopping before the bus to work, or even going for a walk in the garden. Concentrate and dedicate 20 minutes every day and you will already notice the difference.
- Crunches are great exercises for those who want to lose that tummy that bothers them as well as being excellent for posture. You can start with daily series of 10-15 movements to be repeated 3-4 times depending on your conditioning.
- Isometric squat (standing in place)), helps to strengthen the muscles of the leg and abdomen. To do this, lean against a wall and sit on an imaginary bench, holding this position for 20-30 seconds. Important: before trying this you need to know if you have knee problems, as the ideal is to maintain a 90° angle and this can cause pain for those suffering an injury in the area.
- Axis: a very effective exercise that uses only the body and strengthens many muscles at the same time such as the abdomen, buttocks, legs and spine. To do the plank, just lie on your stomach on a smooth surface and suspend your body by leaning only on your toes and forearms, start with 20 seconds 3-4 times a day and gradually increase the time until you reach 1 minute.
- Skipping rope: Did you know that childhood game is actually a great exercise for those who want to improve their physical condition and lose weight? By combining the rope with some of the exercises mentioned above, you already have a powerful initial plan of action to put aside the sedentary lifestyle. Jump for about 2-3 minutes a day to start and increase as your fitness allows.
How much minimum time do I have to practice?
There is no set minimum exercise time for everyone. Everything will depend on which exercise you choose to practice, the important thing is to start. If you can only spare 20 minutes a day, try more intense aerobic exercises to speed up your metabolism, and as your time available expands, explore new exercises by adding them to your routine. However, remember that exercise must match your goal, even if more than 20 minutes of walking is already enough to change your physical condition, it alone won’t be enough to make you lose 10 kg in a month. Define your goal and align yourself with the health professionals you can (Nutritionists, Sports Doctors, Physical Education Professionals, etc.), they will show you the best path to follow and the ideal amount of exercise you should do to reach your goal objective.
Advice for those just starting out
Have you taken the first step to get out of sedentarism? So check out the tips we have for this start to a healthier life ✅ Wear comfortable clothes and shoes: clothes should help you with the body’s perspiration and breathing process and no longer be a point of concern that will take away your focus during exercise. ✅ Drink lots of water: it will help the body’s sweating and cooling process as well as hydrate it. ✅ Establish a routine: Have discipline and keep a healthy routine, it will quickly become a habit and you will miss it when you are not exercising. ✅ Focus on your exercise: don’t get distracted, focus on your exercise and how to perform it in the best possible way. It’s better to do 20 minutes of exercise well than 1 hour without concentration. ✅ Breathe and inspire during the walk; proper breathing will help your physical performance and ✅ Dedicate yourself during your exercise time, you have done the most and have chosen to improve your health, now use that time wisely. ✅ Respect your limits, know when your body has reached its limit and stop before causing an injury and having to sit still during recovery.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
