I’m sure you have heard the saying before; “work hard, play hard” right?

But when it comes to your Health today and the best workout, where do you start?

Trying to get through your busy workday and squeezing in leisure and relaxation can often take a toll on your energy levels. This leads you to feeling exhausted and drained out.

But what if you could have a list of the best workouts and best exercises to follow that don’t take up too much time, but help improve your overall health?

Obviously, staying up to date with nutrition articles, eating a healthy breakfast and diet, and stop smoking, will help improve your health today too.

In this post, I want to share with you my list of the best easy workouts to get you:

• To feel better
• To have more energy
• To live a healthier and longer life

Most people believe that exercising is only meant for those who are trying to lose weight, for those who play a sport or as a form of physical therapy after an injury.

If forced into it…

You may also come up with unreasonable excuses of lacking the required motivation, being too busy with work and home as well as not having the right company (the latter is my personal favorite) to avoid exercising daily.

What you don’t realize is that putting exercise at the bottom of your priority list will make you half as efficient as you could have been in completing all our daily tasks. Studies show there are a direct correlation between exercise and motivation.

It’s safe to say that,

Regardless of your age, gender or physical ability; exercise is the most important part of a healthy lifestyle. And for the most part, it is somewhat difficult to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Everybody knows that exercise is good for them but when you actually understand “why”, it makes it much easier to get off the couch and exercise.

Why Is Exercise Important?

So what is exercise and why is it important? Apart from losing weight, strengthening your core and body building; exercising has a myriad of scientifically proven mental and physical benefits.

Exercise is the physical exertion of the body – making the body do a Physical Activity which results in a healthy or healthier level of physical fitness and both physical and mental health.

Did you know…

By 2030, the CDC projects obesity to be prevalent within 50% of the American population? This is concerning and exercise and proper nutrition needs to increase.

Its crazy…

To think that exercise has some awesome benefits too! Exercise is said to help you be healthier by reducing many diseases.

It’s time to start regulating how much time you

• Watch TV
• Use a computer
• Use a car for short journeys
• Sit down to read, talk or listen to music

The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003 and 2006) recommends adults to reduce sedentary time as a more realistic way to incorporate exercise in their daily lives rather than trying to achieve vigorous workout goals instantly.

This resulted from a study where the average daily time for exercise was calculated for both sedentary behavior and physical activity of differing intensities.

The study of a group of 7000 adults aged 20 to 79, showed that focusing on reducing a sedentary lifestyle could significantly increase physical activity among subjects.

Furthermore…

ONLY 80% of the American adults perform much less than a 30 minute time frame of a mild physical activity daily!

Science has proven that an active person is generally less likely to develop chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, type-2-diabetes, and osteoporosis, have a stroke or get certain types of cancers. Also, eating the right foods helps with fighting free radicals!

But even if you do not have a risk of such serious ailments research has indicated that there is a linear relationship between your physical activity and an improved health status, further leading to additional improvements in your overall fitness.

According to the CDC, people who are physically active for about 7 hours a week have a 40 % lower risk of dying early than those who are active for less than 30 minutes a week.

The importance of exercising regularly will help you:

• Increase your stamina
• Have healthier muscles, joints and bones
• Increase your metabolism
• Increase your energy levels
• Experience a sense of well-being
• Be better able to cope with stress
• Be better able to get a sound sleep

And these just a few things that exercising can help you with among many other benefits.

Sanjay Sharma, professor of inherited cardiac diseases in sports cardiology at St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, says:

“We may never avoid becoming completely old, but we may delay the time we become old. We may look younger when we’re 70 and may live into our nineties. Exercise buys you three to seven additional years of life. It is an antidepressant, it improves cognitive function, and there is now evidence that it may retard the onset of dementia.”

Research also suggests that daily exercise can help with certain mental health issues.

For instance, daily exercise may help prevent a depression relapse and improve symptoms of mild depression all together. It may sound unreal that just a little bit of physical activity can get you through so many health hurdles without medication or supplements and also add years to your life.

But before you start working on your next workout regimen!

Remember…

Understanding the importance of exercise is not enough to help you start living a better life. In fact knowing what is the minimum time you are required to be physically active every day is also equally crucial.

Now that you are done understanding “why” exercise is essential, let’s focus on “how much” of it you really need.

How Much  Should You Exercise Daily?

Experts suggest that exercise is much more than just keeping in shape.

In fact…

It is a sum total of physical and emotional wellbeing. This includes having sustainable energy levels to perform all physical activities throughout your day. By getting the proper vitamins, cutting sugars, and boosting your brain power, can all aid to a healthier you!

Be sure to keep in mind that regularity alone means absolutely nothing if you haven’t combined it with the required average intensity and a stipulated time frame.

So how often should you work out?

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are a well defined set of rules that you can follow to get the most out of your exercise. Exercise and activity levels are defined as:

These are great guidelines to follow for a 5 day workout routine. I get asked a lot, “How long should I workout for?” According to these guidelines every adult should indulge in a minimum of 2.5 hours of vigorous physical activity per week. That’s only 30 minutes a day each week!

The duration and how long you should workout for each set may vary from person to person depending on your weight, body type and metabolic rate.

To simplify things…

The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that every adult should workout for a 150 minute moderate aerobic activity or a 75 minute rigorous workout or a combination of both to maximize your health benefits per week.

In 2010, a study was performed to confirm the substantial health benefits of working out for 150 minutes. This aerobic activity is suggested by the American guidelines mentioned above.

Setting up a weekly workout routine is important! If you need help setting something up, we actually can put you in touch with our online personal training coaches to aid in setting up a weekly work out routine. You can check that out here.

Anyway…

This study involved a total of 34,079 healthy US women for the duration of 13 years.

Average physical activity and weight changes were measured over an interval of every 3 years, with a margin of 5 pounds as the allowed weight fluctuation in order to maintain a normal BMI.

Researchers found that women belonging to the normal weight range needed the equivalent of 1 hour a day of physical activity to maintain a steady weight reading.

While exercising for about 60 minutes per day seems like the norm for a healthy lifestyle, you must not forget that your age and your physical ability have a crucial role to play on your workout routines. It is also important to take a rest day to let your muscles rebuild.

Not everyone can perform equally intense exercises. Every person’s body type is different from one another.

Do not forget to consult your physician before you dive into a weekly workout routine. It’s important to make sure if your workout plan and the different types of workouts match your physical capabilities and stamina.

At the same time…

There is a more holistic approach to giving up the title  “couch potato” for a much healthier and fitter lifestyle.

I would like to share with you a 5 day workout routine, which includes easy workouts to enlighten with some low impact body conditioning exercises.  These quick, easy, daily workouts are simple, less demanding and are exercises you can do at home. They will teach you how to be fit and will also work your body as a whole.

So let’s get ready!

5 Easy Workouts That Can Improve Your Overall Health

For someone who has never hit the gym before starting with an extremely hard workout would be intimidating and could also be the reason you may start to lose interest in exercising.

Additionally, with advance in age the rate at which your muscles take up oxygen potentially reduces and makes you unfit to perform intense workouts as they may take a large sum of your energy.

Strength peaks around age 25, plateaus through 35 or 40 years old, and then begins decline. It is said that there is about a 25% loss of peak force by the age of 65 years.

Therefore..

It is usually difficult to motivate adults and older people to hit the gym regularly.

But age is just one excuse to not exercise!

• Not having time
• Not having the correct knowledge
• Finding exercise boring
• Extreme weight conditions (obese or anorexic)
• Very physically demanding

Are some of the many reasons most people give up exercising for a healthier lifestyle.

The only solution to this dilemma is…

Coming up with a workout routine. It is important to have a workout routine that is less strenuous and easily achievable by almost any age group. This helps maintain the overall fitness and health of individuals.

Take a look at a these easy workouts and exercises for women and men. These quick workouts could change the way you think about physical activity and also positively benefit your mental and physical health.

1. Benefits of Walking – Walking For Weight Loss

The benefits incurred from your physical activity depends on three key points

• Intensity
• Duration
• Frequency

And…

Walking, a form of exercise that people have enjoyed for centuries, is one such exercise that can easily help you check all 3 boxes.

According to Harvard University:

Walking as a workout each day is safe, easy to accomplish daily and the risk of injury is lower than any other form exercise.

Livestrong.com recommends beginners to start off with short walks daily for 1 week and then proceed to a 40 minute walking routine everyday for a healthier and happier life.

In fact…

University College London performed a meta-analysis of research published between 1970 and 2007 which showed:

• Among 10,269 male graduates of Harvard College, walking at least nine miles a week was linked to a 22% lower death rate.

• Among 44,452 male health professionals, walking at least 30 minutes a day was linked to an 18% lower risk of coronary artery disease.

• Among 72,488 female nurses, walking at least three hours a week was linked to a 35% lower risk of heart attack and cardiac death and a 34% lower risk of stroke.

Walking helps….

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Improve your mood
• Improve your balance and coordination

For example…

Research suggests that walking around for 2 minutes every hour can increase your lifespan by 33% as compared to those who stay seated for more than 8-10 hours a day.

Another study indicated that an average persons walks only about 3000-4000 steps a day whereas 10,000 steps a day is a much more beneficial goal to aim for.

But there’s more…

Apart from slashing the risk of various chronic disorders as well as increasing your lifespan, walking is also a great way to increase your exposure to the sun which is a great way to get your recommended daily amount of vitamin D.

Dr. Mercola lists a ton of benefits to walking as a routine exercise:

There are also various forms of walking with different levels of intensities including brisk walks, jogs, sprints, and strolls.

Another review published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health pointed out that grounding could also help improve several health conditions including

• Insomnia
• Muscle Pain
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Respiratory Ailments
• Hypertension

So what are you waiting for? All you need is a pair of comfortable walking shoes and you are ready to go!

2. Bicycle Riding As An Exercise

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Health is all about the correct balance between food, exercise and mental fitness. I saw this quote online and thought it was fitting.

Bike riding is a low intensity physical activity that can be enjoyed by all age groups from young children to older adults. Not only is it a fun activity but is also cheap and environmental friendly.

Bicycle exercise amounts to muscle toning, improved cardiovascular health, and better blood circulation. Other health benefits of riding a bike includes:

Did you know?

Riding a bike at a moderate pace for 1 hour can burn up to 300 calories?  Bicycle workouts for 1 week can burn as many as 2000 calories!

Bicycle exercise is also a great way to improve mental health, prevent chronic illnesses and strengthen your immune system.

In fact…

Extensive research in Finland concluded that people who cycled for more than 30 minutes daily had a 40% lower risk of developing type-2-diabetes. Apart from chronic conditions bike riding was found shown to significantly help in improving depression symptoms and improve your mood like some foods.

A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of biking therapy on the degree of depression in older adults living in a long term facility in upstate New York.

The study resulted in a 3.47 point drop in the levels of older adults successfully proving that biking therapy can help relieve symptoms of mild depression without using heavy medications. Exercise and eating healthy can help make you feel better. Quitting the smoking habit is also important!

Biking is not just a physical activity meant for fitness purposes, but can also be used as a mode of transport while you are going to work, out shopping or simply hanging out with your friends.

Truth be told…

Incorporating bike riding into your daily life will change your current scenario of the world by promoting both human health and the health of the planet at the same time.

So keep calm and bike on for a better life!

3. Jump Rope Work Out Helps Improve Your Health

For those of you who are trying to find a simple full body workout with minimum equipment and space requirements, it’s time to pick up your jump rope.

Apart from the fact that jumping rope works out your full body from head to toe, it can also be done almost anywhere. And the best part, it’s not hard to learn how to jump rope!

Jumping rope is one the best forms of cardiovascular exercises that focuses most on your leg muscles and help speed fat-burning, boosts your stamina and tones your torso.

Not only…

Does jumping rope help you dodge weight related disorders such as:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Depression
• Sexual dysfunction

but, can also help improve your physical skills such as better balance, coordination, timing and agility.

Interesting enough…

Jump rope exercises burn twice as many calories as walking. It is the same aerobic exercise like running without any disadvantages, unless you hit yourself in the face with the rope

It also has less impact on joints, as it’s all done on your toes and the front of your feet, an area that has great natural cushioning.

According to Livestrong:

• A person weighing 155 pounds will burn about 704 calories an hour while skipping at a moderate pace
• Jumping rope for weight loss can help you lose a pound every two weeks if you skip rope five days per week

Surprisingly enough…

Landing after jumping does put stress on your knees, ankles and hips, but this action can help you support a healthy bone density and thus keep osteoporosis at an arm’s length.

If you feel like burning off the candy bar you just ate in 15-20 minutes, get the best jump rope from Amazon and start jumping!

4. Health Benefits Of Swimming

If you like the benefits of a cardio but do not like turning up the heat and profusely sweating later, keeping cool with swimming is a great alternative. There are many health benefits to swimming.

Whether your swimming for leisure or competitively, the health benefits of swimming can work wonders for your entire body. Benefits include promoting better mental health and wellbeing.

Apart from being the fourth most popular sports activity in the Unites States, swimming reduces the risk of death by 50% among swimmers as compared to physically inactive people.

Swimming is a good low impact physical activity that helps you:

• Maintain your heart rate
• Build endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
• Maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
• Tone your muscles and build strength
• Alleviate stress
• Improve coordination, balance, posture and flexibility
• Provide a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day

This form of exercise is also great for pregnant women.

According to WebMD the buoyancy of water while swimming releases the stress in the joints of pregnant women, improving their mental health and making them feel much more relaxed eventually.

While swimming is super advantageous for people suffering from arthritis and diabetes it can also help you increase your life expectancy.

According to research performed at the University of Southern California on a group of 4,000 males aged 32, a comparative study between walkers, swimmers and people having a sedentary lifestyle; showed that swimmers had the lowest rate of death.

In fact…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocates that swimming can help improve your mood too.

Swimming workouts help decrease anxiety and depression for women who suffer from fibromyalgia and improves the mental health of pregnant women.

Swimming is a great way to keep fit, stay healthy, lose weight and make friends as well as a healthy activity that you can continue for a lifetime.

5. Benefits Of Physical Activity With Sports

Playing a sport and being physically active is accompanied by the 3 D’s- Determination, Dedication and Discipline.

While this may not be recommended for all age groups, healthy and physically capable people should start participating in a sport. The benefits of playing sports helps to change the way you deal with mental and physical ailments.

There are numerous health benefits to playing a sport:

• Increasing heart health
• Control diabetes
• Reduce cholesterol levels
• Improved blood circulation
• Lowers hypertension
• Lowers stress levels
• Weight management
• Toning of muscles
• Strengthening of bones

A study published by BMC Public Health, re-examined 712 healthy United States males who passed a rigorous physical exam in the 1940s during World War II.  50 years later, they were surveyed.

Their physical activity level after 50 years was correlated and regressed across a wide number of demographic, behavioral, and personality variables from when they were 50 years younger. Data was analyzed in 2012.

The research sought to more exactingly test the presumption that physical activity at a young age predicts physical activity at an elderly age. Importantly, this sample consisted of World War II veterans; therefore, it only included men who were in good health in their youth.

The study also showed that high school varsity sports are not only related to activity levels during old age, but also to health status in your old age. Smoking as another behavioral variable also showed a strong influence on health. Individuals who were heavy smokers immediately after the war reported more frequent present-day doctor visits than non-smokers, pointing to the importance of public health interventions aimed to prevent smoking.

Another study states…

When tennis players were observed over time to determine physical characteristics, it was found that adults, including those who no longer played tennis regularly, had less bone mineral loss because of their sport activity compared to those who did not play sports.

Apart from all the physical benefits that can be construed from playing a sport, it can also be a great way of maintaining your mental health.

Not only does playing sports improve your mood and concentration but also helps in reducing stress, depression, insomnia.

Conclusion

Just two and a half hours per week of aerobic physical activity, playing sports, such as swimming, bicycling, or running, can decrease the risk of chronic illnesses. Many things that you do for fun can count as exercise.

If you are not an athlete or a serious exerciser and you just want to work out for your health, the gym scene can sound quite intimidating.

Playing sports and eating healthy is important for your health. Like I mentioned, physical activity can help reduce many illnesses and prevent chronic diseases.

Diet and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to overall fitness.

It’s best to start out by contacting your physician and professional fitness experts to guide you through the exact workout routines. Having a professional help you exercise can be suitable for your particular body type and stamina levels.

How often do you exercise and workout? Let me know if you need any help exercising or have any questions below in the comment section.