1. When it comes to the 30-minute daily recommendation for exercise, why is it still beneficial if you break it up throughout the day?
There is a lot of research that supports the idea of building an active lifestyle to maintain longevity and overall health, rather than developing an active-sedentary lifestyle (or in other words, getting in your 30 minutes of exercise in the morning, then sitting for the remainder of the day at a desk job, commuting, or in front of a screen).
By breaking up your exercise, you are training your body to adapt to an active lifestyle. This will help increase your basal metabolic rate, support circulation, and a number of different health metrics.
2. On that note, what are some practical ways to break up exercise throughout the day? We’d like to give real-life examples for people who are busy or new to exercise.
- Drink more water. More water promotes more bathroom breaks, which are small walks throughout the day. You can also set a goal following the habit stacking method. For example, every time I go to the bathroom, I will do 5 air squats afterwards.
- Park at the back of the parking lot, or far away from the nearest cart return. Build movement into your routine.
- Change positions frequently. If you have a desk job, set a timer to go off every 10-20 minutes, and change your posture: Lean forward, put your feet on a foot stool, stand, lift one leg, etc. Remember: the next position is the best position.
- Use activity trackers to your advantage (fitgit, apple watch, etc) and set a movement goal everyday, either in steps or movement calories.
- Positive mindset. Tell yourself, “I have an active lifestyle,” or, “I am an active person.” That way, when situations arise that require movement (Kids ask you to come look at their room, the dog needs a walk in the evening, etc), you are more likely to engage and happily move more.
3. Are there certain scenarios where one might consider working out for less time during the week? (injuries, medical conditions, etc?)
Yes. You should never exercise through pain. Allow your body to rest if you are injured, or look for exercises to do that don’t require you to move the injury. Also, who you are sick be mindful to not overdo exercise. Transition to light exercises to not over stress your body. There are also a number of medical conditions to be mindful of when creating exercise routines, so be sure to work closely with your healthcare provider to build a workout routine that is safe for you.
4. Aside from timing how long you’re physically active, are there other ways to tell you’re getting “enough” exercise? (physical or mental cues, for example)
One of the biggest cues is a subjective one in the form of positive mindset. The best way to describe it, is having the thought come to mind, “That felt good!” Or, “I feel better when I exercise, I should make this a part of my routine.”
I also see patients all the time that have discovered exercise “thresholds,” where, if they are able to complete a certain number of gym sessions per week, or run a certain number of miles, they recognize they feel more like themselves. If they don’t hit those levels of exercise, they feel more tired, less mentally alert, or more moody. The wonderful thing about this cue, is it’s teaching you to be more in tune with your own body and find what works best for you.
Other cues include sleep quality, recovery time, afternoon energy level, aches and pains, and the list goes on. With the help of technology and devices, you can also look at quantifiable things, such as resting heart rate, sleep scores, and tracking progress through things like repeating benchmark exercises, body fat percentage, basal metabolic rate, and body measurements.
5. How can regular exercise help reduce the risk of injury? (i.e., what’s happening over time/in the body)
Just like an engine in a car that sits too long without being used has a higher chance of malfunctioning if driven compared to a car that is driven everyday, the body does better with regular exercise. The body is meant to move, as it supports circulation, perfusion, energy production, cellular health, cognition, digestion, respiration, heart function, muscle development, mood, hormone regulation, and the list goes on and on. Motion fosters motion in all aspects of our life, so it’s important to build an active lifestyle to stay healthy.
Learn more about Dr. Scott Noorda, DO here: https://resolvemedical.us/dr-scott-noorda/
