Exercise may be one of the most powerful predictors of how we may live out the rest of our lives. Research suggests that just a small amount of exercise can lengthen our life by several years. Dr. Peter Attia stated that if a person who has never exercised was to start doing three hours of moderate exercise a week that there their likelihood of dying the following year would be reduced by 50% (Outlive-The Science & Art of Longevity, 2023). Abttia claims it is one of the most powerful longevity drugs available to us. Exercise helps delay the onset of chronic illnesses and physical decline. The research indicates that exercise helps reduce cardiovascular disease, weight, blood pressure, cognitive decline, and certain cancers. Also, the literature suggests exercise can improve neuroplasticity and increase the production of new brain cells. Furthermore, exercise not only helps to increase our lifespan, it can enhance the quality of our life. Exercise has been shown to help reduce depression and anxiety while increasing a sense of wellbeing and satisfaction with life.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)recommends that we do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity and two days of weight training a week. How do you measure moderate intensity? A rule of thumb is that you are moving at a pace that makes it difficult to talk at the same time.For example, if you are taking a walk with someone it would be a struggle talking at the same time for the part of the walk that you are trying to accomplish with moderate intensity.
Here are some tips for those who would like to start an exercise routine. First consult with your physician to determine what kind of physical activity would be safe and effective for you. Next, consider establishing a goal that you want to achieve by the end of three months. Make sure your goal is specific, measurable, and realistic. Start with small steps that you may do in the following week that move you toward your goal. Reassess week to week to determine what action steps to take in each upcoming week. You may want to find someone who can help you be accountable.
Starting a new behavior or new habit is always a challenge. Finding the time in our busy lives is always difficult. Mark Hyman MD, advising his patients about the importance of exercise shows his patients a cartoon of a physician saying to the patient, “Do you want to exercise an hour a week or be dead 24 hours a day?” The bottom line is that becoming healthier is just a choice and we have all the power in making that choice.
