According to the activity guidelines created by the American Heart Association, healthy adults should do a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise or 150 minutes of moderate to brisk cardiovascular exercise weekly. In addition, they should spend at least one hour per week doing workouts that build strength and improve range of motion. If you get mildly ill when meeting these guidelines, tweak your exercise regimen and lifestyle to build your immune system.
Warm Up Properly
If you feel aches and pains when exercising regularly, you may not be preparing your body for a workout. Do not engage in a cardiovascular, strengthening or flexibility regimen before lubricating your joints and warming up muscles and tendons. Begin with a mild aerobic warmup such as walking in place, lifting your knees to your chest, marching or jogging slowly. After five minutes, raise your legs higher and pump your arms to elevate your heart rate. After a total of 10 minutes, you should feel warm enough to do stretching, lifting or more intense exercise.
Cool Down Properly
You will feel more limber and potentially avoid injury by cooling down after your workout. Devote at least five minutes to gradually slowing your pace or intensity so that your heart rate lowers. Inhale deeply, expanding your belly as well as your chest, to deliver oxygen to your bloodstream, muscles and extremities. Exhale completely. Do static stretches overhead, side to side and to your toes. Avoid locking your joints or bouncing while stretching.
Check Caloric Intake
Many people start dieting when they exercise regularly, hoping to lose weight at a faster clip. However, some diets restrict you to too few calories or limit your food groups, compromising your nutrition. These types of diet can result in illness or weakness. If you exercise consistently and want to lose weight, stick to a diet that features moderate portions of unsweetened whole grains, plant-based proteins and heart-healthy sources of fat like olive oil. Eat several portions of fresh fruit and vegetables per day. Drink water instead of energy drinks, liquid supplements, meal replacement beverages or protein shakes, which often contain high amounts of sugar, caffeine or sodium. Women of average stature can consume around 1,500 daily calories and men 1,900 daily calories to lose up to 2 lbs. per week.
Type of Workout
Exercising at high intensity can burn around 1,000 calories per hour. However, doing speed or strength intervals every day can compromise your immunity. Many athletes who train for competitive events vary their workouts. They may do sprinting one day, brisk walking another day and slow hill-climbing another day. Schedule rest days into your workout regimen if you train hard. Spend one day doing walking on a flat course or cycling at a moderate speed. If you lift weights, alternate the muscle groups you target from day to day.
Posted in: Fitness