Exercise in the New Year

It’s common wisdom that regular exercise is good for our health, but what constitutes “regular?” And what kind of exercise is most beneficial? Experts often recommend at least 150 minutes of moderately intense activity each week, which they also say is best broken up into shorter sessions you can do daily. Exercising for just 20 minutes per day can help improve your physical and mental health as well as help you live longer. Recent studies, however, indicate that longevity is even more closely linked to higher-intensity workouts and between 150–270 minutes per week, which translates to 20–40 minutes per day. There is also evidence that team sports are even better than solo activities. But it’s crucial to not turn potential roadblocks into a reason not to exercise at all—even if you don’t have a gym membership or you don’t like team sports, there are plenty of ways to work out at home that you’ll enjoy enough to keep up with. Here are a few ideas to get your body moving daily: • Walk: A ten-minute brisk walk is a great way to increase your heart rate, and it’s short enough that you’ll probably be able to squeeze in a walk on most days. • Try a HIIT routine: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions are designed to be short (typically under 20 minutes) and, as the name suggests, intense. They’re an efficient way to get your heart rate up quickly while building strength and flexibility. • Use a standing desk: Shift from sitting to standing throughout the workday with an adjustable desk and, for an added bonus, put a small treadmill under the desk so you can walk while you work. It’s important to remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing, so even if you aren’t up for a 20-minute HIIT routine every day that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. There’s ample evidence that even a little bit of exercising on a regular basis can increase longevity. And if you don’t have one already, consider getting a steps tracker. You might be surprised how much activity you do already, like mowing the lawn, vacuuming the house, shopping for groceries, and walking from meeting to meeting. Seeing the numbers go up is a great motivator.