Ever since I started this fitness journey, I have held the belief that the more you know the more successful you will be. I am sure this applies to more than just health and wellness, but I will stick with what I know. So today I want to share with you a very important link that provides science based recommendations and information to help move you along on the road to health and wellness.
Okay, ready. Here it is.
https://www.health.gov/paguidelines/
What is this gift I’m giving you? It is the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This page has sound information to cut through the hype and tell you what you need to do to live the life of healthy and fit individual.
I admit, there is a lot of information here. So let me cover a couple of high points to get you started.
- First and foremost, some activity is better than none. You have to get moving to be healthy.
- Regular activity reduces the risk of many adverse health outcomes (cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.)
- Health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity, but more is better.
- Both endurance (cardio) and resistance training are important.
These are just the highlights. There are guidelines for children, older adults and adults with disabilities. There is also a great guide that walks you through how to meet these guidelines with sections for beginners, those already doing some activity, and how to prevent injury for those of us who have been at it awhile.
I am going to keep this post short because I think it is more important for you to review these guidelines for yourself (I recommend the Be Active Your Way section to start). Use this as your guide to the road to health and wellness. Share it with everyone you can. If something still isn’t clear send me your question and I will be happy to help you out. Enjoy the gift!
