Recently researchers went through some survey information about the health and habits of men and women in Scotland,     1     (hope) to determine how much exercise is needed to keep the Scots     2    feeling depressed. The answer: a mere 20 minutes a week of any physical exercise, whether sports, walking, gardening     3     even housecleaning. The researchers found that more exercise brought more mental-health benefits. But their overall conclusion was that being active for 20 minutes a week     4    (be) enough, if your goal is mental health.

How much exercise is enough? This is a question difficult to answer,     5     (part) because the amount of exercise needed depends on the benefits you hope to gain. Twenty minutes a week of housecleaning or other     6     (activity) may, according to the Scottish study, increase your satisfaction, but it certainly won’t do much for your physical fitness and is unlikely     7     (reduce) your risks for diseases. It also won’t help much with weight loss.

Interestingly, they did not find that exercise beyond a certain point would bring additional health benefits. According to the report, “It     8       (estimate) that people who are physically active for about seven hours a week have a 40 percent     9     (low) risk of dying early than those     10     are active for less than 30 minutes a week.”

2 . The Netherlands is the only country in the world with more bicycles than residents. By 2022, the Netherlands has had a total of about 23 million bicycles, with an ownership rate of 1.35 bikes per person. One study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that in the Netherlands cycling prevents about 6,500 early deaths each year, and that Dutch people have 1.5 years longer life expectancy (预期寿命) due to cycling.

“The time spent cycling was about 74 minutes per week for Dutch adults aged 20 to 90 years old. The time was fairly stable over adulthood and reached its apex in the early days of retirement, in one’s 60s. The death rate reduction, which was a direct result of the average time spent cycling for a certain age group, was therefore also the highest among the seniors who just retired,” said Jeremy Smith, an expert from NIH.

What is it that makes cycling so beneficial? Obviously, cycling is a form of exercise. It is a great form of cardio (有氧的) exercise, which gets your heart pumping and helps strengthen the heart muscles. Doing cardio exercise may also help lower your blood pressure.

Furthermore, solid evidence proves the link between cycling and better thinking skills. Even younger adults claim that a bike ride helps shift their thinking to a higher level — and research backs them up. In one small study, young men are required to cycle for 30 minutes every day for 3 weeks. They also completed a series of cognitive (认知的) tests before and afterward. After cycling, they scored higher on memory, reasoning and planning, and they were able to finish the tests more rapidly than before.

Besides all the benefits mentioned above, cycling, as many Dutch put it, is a way of life. In their simplest form, bikes are tools for travelling. But they’re so much more. They are cognitive improvement, environmental protection, satisfaction and an expression of freedom. They bring people of the same passion together and connect them to a greater journey of life.

5 . Rene Campbell has devoted most of her life to shaping her figure into one completely against what society thinks a woman should look like.

“I was always very insecure about my body image, as everyone seemed to know for sure that women needed to look a certain way,” she says when reflecting on her motivation to transform herself.     1     For quite some time, she struggled with eating disorders because she was trying to keep her weight really low and appear skinny, like the women on magazine covers.     2     It was then that she became attracted by the way these seemingly confident women held themselves.

However, building her dream body—gaining over 85 pounds, going from a size 8 to 14—has had its challenges, too. “    3     When I tell them that I am a female bodybuilder, the first reaction is, ‘Muscles for women are just not attractive,’” Campbell says. Though she loves the way she now looks, she is sometimes treated with cruelty.

    4    Even though there is a huge market encouraging women to build muscles and tighten their figures, the ideal still stands for smaller waists, and thin legs, the so-called perfect figure. For women to build up strong muscles, it takes a strong heart.

“I gradually learn to ignore others’ voices and become committed to the training. It is a very big shift for me, and it has won me plenty of awards.     5     My bodybuilding journey makes me realize that I need to do things for myself.” Campbell says.

8 . Regular jogging (慢跑) can reduce your risk of health problems. If you’re new to jogging, getting started can seem a little difficult.     1    .

Fuel your body 2 hours before jogging

Eat a healthy meal rich in fruit and vegetables before jogging.    2    . It will also help muscle grow and repair. If you’re jogging for weight loss, try increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables. Reduce your intake of sugary food and drinks.

Warm up for 5 minutes before jogging

It’s very important to warm up before you jog.    3    .Some good warm-up exercises include doing knee lifts, side-stepping and climbing stairs. You may have heard that it’s important to stretch (拉伸) before you run, but stretching before exercise can put additional strain (拉紧) on your muscles. Therefore, focus on warming up before jogging.

    4    

Most people think how far and how long you run has to do with patience and a strong will. However, having the proper running form plays an important role in jogging. To make the most of your jogging, remember to keep your head straight and your muscles relaxed, avoid lifting your knees too high, and touch the ground lightly with the middle of your foot.

Cool down after your jogging

After jogging, you can avoid strain on your heart and muscles by doing cool-down exercise. Finish your jog with 5～10 minutes of walking.    5    , You should do deep stretches and hold each stretch for 15～30 seconds.

9 . Why we should exercise as a family

We've all heard the saying "The family that plays together stays together." Enjoying quality family time is important and working out together could be the perfect solution. It's never too early to introduce healthy lifestyle choices, whether you leave the car at home and walk to school or enjoy a family cycle at the weekend.    1    Here are some tips when it comes to enjoying free time and working out as a family.

Set rewards for achievements. Taking the kids to the park is such a fun and easy thing to do. Try setting them tasks. If they manage to do all the tasks, allow them a certain amount of TV or gaming time if that's what they like to do!    2    

Find a hobby they enjoy. One of the most important things is to find a healthy hobby that they love.    3    If they enjoy it, encourage and support them to build up their confidence.

Find exercise friends. Perhaps there's a family nearby with kids the same age. See if they would like to exercise together.    4    Besides, it sets a level of cooperation where you can't let the other family down. It's also a good excuse for a coffee and a chat with the mum or dad afterwards.

    5    It can be easy to want your child to be the best but it's all about them having fun with fitness. Support them, but don't pressure them too much, or it might backfire!