You haven’t been to the gym in ages. You’re busy, you’re tired, and you have endless work, family and social obligations. You know you need to exercise, but who’s got the time and money to invest in a proper program? The American Heart Association recommends that individuals do moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, or vigorous exercise for 75 minutes per week.
Take a Load Off
You don’t have to do an all-out, hard-core workout to benefit your health. In fact, some exercises that are too strenuous can aggravate your joints. The basic definition of “low-impact exercise” is an activity during which you keep one foot in contact with the ground at all times. Seated and gentler, mat-based workouts (such as Pilates and yoga) are also considered by some to be low — or no-impact.
The point is to create opportunities to move your body, and you do not need special equipment or expensive memberships to do so. There happen to be some built-in resources right here in our community. One of my own favorite low-impact activities is to walk or jog on the Centennial Trail or Interurban Trail.
The Payoff
Low-impact exercise is recommended for almost all patients because of its clearly established health benefits. It is also very beneficial for those who have diabetes or borderline diabetes, because even a small amount of activity is well known to improve daily blood sugar values.
Low-impact exercise offers decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke, colon and breast cancers as well as depression and dementia. It can also offer improved metabolic processes, sense of well-being and overall strength and endurance. These benefits are available to people of all ages, in fact, regular low-impact exercise is recommended to many patients up into their 90s. No one is too young or too old to take part.
