In a recent TIME magazine article The New Science of Exercise, genetic metabolic neurologist, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky is showing how exercise can and should be prescribed by doctors to help even some of the sickest patients. If you’re an exercise person, you already know the benefits of exercise, but if not, now is your time to see some of the most powerful effects of exercise come to life.
The statistics in our country about how many people exercise are more than sad. First of all, The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend most adults get 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic physical exercise each week and two sessions of strength training per week. That’s the minimum. It’s basically 22 minutes each day and 2 sessions of strength training. Twenty two minutes a day! This time can also be broken up. If you went for a 45 minute run or a 60 minute bike ride, it all counts toward your total weekly allotment.
As an athlete, it’s easy for me to get those minutes. Most athletes will double or even triple the recommended time. It blows my mind, however, that we are at a point where we’re trying to find the least amount of time to be active. What are people are doing during the day? It’s really crazy that with the benefits of slower aging, better moods, less chronic pain, stronger vision, more strength, better bone density, lower risk of heart disease, and on and on, that we can’t get people to move.
If I told you I had something that will make you feel better, help you live longer, help you fight disease, make you stronger, make you look better, and more, would you do it? Of course you would. But then, when I tell people it’s exercise, they balk. Oh, you mean I have to work for it? YES! You do have to work for it. I’m sorry, but nothing great and healthy comes easy or for free. But once you click over into the small portion of folks who do exercise, you become part of an amazing community of people who will lift you up. There is an amazing support system in the active world because we’re all doing the same things. We all want to stay healthy, we all love to venture out and try new experiences, you just have to decide to join us.
According to the article, 20% of all Americans get the recommended minimum 150 minutes of physical activity. This includes, gardening, brisk walks, and playing with toddlers. And still 80% of us don’t move enough. Apparently, more than half of all Baby Boomers don’t exercise whatsoever and 80.2 million Americans over the age of 6 are entirely inactive. What is happening?
Here’s my plea. Please make sure you move your body today and please encourage all the people around you to get active. The trend is not moving in the right direction and the 80% of non-movers are going to contract all the typical ailments like high cholesterol, heart disease, blood pressure problems, stroke, etc. Yes, I know, of course some active people will too, but the likelihood is much greater if you don’t move.
And here’s my solution: make it part of your life. Even though we’re all looking for the easy way out, there is no easy way out of this one. You have to move, you can’t take a pill to fix it or have some surgery. You have to suck it up and get to work. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or how much money you have. Your color or creed is not going to make a difference, you must move!
Start walking, or subscribe to any number of streaming fitness sites. You won’t even have to leave your home. Here’s one I’m part of and I recommend.
If the state of fitness affairs doesn’t change we’re going to have a National disaster on our hands. Please help before it’s too late! And if you or someone you know needs help, I’m always here. @teddymcdonald
Originally published on the author’s website teddymcdonald.com.