Everyone knows the benefits of getting plenty of regular exercise. It has the benefits of making you healthy, reducing your likelihood of developing diseases and making you physically stronger and more capable of carrying out everyday tasks. Exercising well will increase your lifespan and also help you enjoy your extra years on the planet as you’ll be in better shape to do so. But it’s not always clear exactly how much exercise you should be doing. What is the right level and how much is too much?
It is important to remember that the amount of exercise that you need to do will depend entirely on the goals that you have set yourself. It could be to manage stress, lower blood pressure, lose weight or participate in sports. If you’re looking to lose several stone in weight, for example, your exercise needs will be much greater than for someone who is just looking to get a little more in shape.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) does, however, produce a list of guidelines for living a healthy lifestyle and getting enough exercise. It recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week. It also notes that if you can do high-intensity workouts then that number can be reduced to 75 minutes.
The WHO also notes that you should do muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Following these guidelines should help you improve your overall cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness.
However, if you are looking to do more than just maintain a healthy weight and slightly improve your overall fitness you will have to put the extra hours in. Don’t overwork yourself – if you wake up and your muscles ache then give them a rest. But doing plenty of exercise will mean you reap the reward in the long run.
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