Everyone knows that exercise and workout is critical for fitness. It only helps you maintain weight but brings mental clarity, reduces the risk of various chronic diseases, and helps you live a happier and longer life. But given the current pandemic where everyone needs to take care of social distancing and avoid outdoor activities as much as possible, maintaining fitness is complicated.
But if you are determined to incorporate exercise in your daily schedule, there is nothing that can stop you. If you are a beginner and all you desire is general fitness, then we have a workout for you that you can continue to do forever. And with this workout, you are bound to see the results in the form of improved general fitness, better mobility, stronger muscles, and better joint health. So let’s get started.
Walking
This simple yet powerful workout is perhaps the safest and easiest workout that you can try. Walking helps maintain weight, improves cardiac health, strengthens bones and muscles, and reduces the risk of numerous chronic illnesses (including Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers). Walking is also beneficial in improving memory and guards against age-related memory loss.
And with walking, you don’t have to take out time separately if you have a busy schedule. All you have to do is to take a walk to the train station and back. You can get some great fitness results simply by walking at a moderate speed for 30 to 60 minutes at least five days a week.
Cardio
Most people today are aware of cardio. Any exercise that puts a strain on your cardiovascular system is classified as cardio. While running, swimming and cycling are some of the classic examples of cardio, in case you don’t prefer to go outdoors, you can simply try cardio exercises at home. Running up and down the stairs, rope skipping and jumping jacks are all excellent examples of cardio that you can try at home. Aim for cardio exercises for up a total of 2 hours over the week.
Strength Training
While most people confuse strength training with weight lifting, it is not just limited to weight lifting. Strength training is any workout that targets strengthening a specific muscle group so push-ups, squats, planks,s and climbing up the hill are all examples of strength training. And obviously, weights can be a part of all these exercises.
Naturally, our body tends to lose muscle mass beyond the age of 30. As a result, we lose strength, and over time, this leads to reduced mobility. Strength training can significantly reduce the loss of muscle mass so make sure you incorporate strength training in your workout regime. Around 15-30 minutes of designated strength training everyday can keep you healthy and fit forever.
How Much is Enough?
Now that you already know that a combination of walking, strength training, and cardio can keep you fit forever, the next most important question is how much activity is enough.
According to various researches, the most beneficial effects of exercise come within the first 2.5 hours of exercise a week. Going up to 5 hours a week does bring benefits but the returns continue to decrease as the total exercise time exceeds 2.5 hours. The results were verified by a number of other studies. So it can be concluded that you should work out for at least 2.5 hours a week but the total should not go beyond 5 hours. Over-exercising can bring more damage to your body compared to benefits.
Final Words
Exercise keeps you fit and healthy and there is no second thought about it. And to help you find the best workout routine for the long term, we have compiled a list. The above-mentioned workouts are not only easy to incorporate into your daily schedule and continue in the long run but they can also bring some amazing benefits to your physical and mental health.
