1 . Enjoying your workouts can be a complete game changer when it comes to keeping a consistent exercise schedule and avoiding burnout.     1    

The Heart Matters magazine gives a few recommendations on how to make exercise more fun, such as asking others to join you and exercising for a specific cause, like a marathon for raising funds for an organization.     2    . But why?

Research shows that enjoying your exercise can be important for its long-term effectiveness. When you are positively engaged in something you choose to do and want to do as opposed to something you have to do, it changes your mindset. A positive mindset during exercising is absolutely essential.

    3    . You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it. Most people would rather make a habit of something that brings them pleasure as opposed to something boring. So, what do you find enjoyable? What is fun for you?

There are so many types of exercise that people can do.     4    . Running is an excellent form of exercise, as is walking. Dance classes can be super fun as well, and so can sports. Playing sports is a form of exercise that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Thinking outside the box is a must, since gyms and workouts that require lots of equipment aren’t always available or possible, and depending on these to exercise can possibly leave you without a workout at times. Team sports like basketball, tennis or football with friends are great for your fitness.     5    , or choosing other types of exercise like rope jumping, surfing, rock climbing or belly dancing. Those are all excellent forms of exercise, and your mind and body will thank you for years to come.

2 . Risks of Overtraining

Getting in shape and training for an event such as a marathon requires long-lasting and intense physical commitment.    1     But the truth is, sometimes the very acts we do to get healthy can actually push us past our physical limits.

Specifically, overtraining is a set of signs that occur when your body is not able to recover sufficiently before going into your next workout.     2    People tend to ignore them. Over time, the cycle of starting the next training session before allowing recovery causes breakdown of the very parts of the body that you work so hard to build up.

The structures and systems of your body adapt to the demands you have placed on them before the rest time. If your workout slightly goes beyond your current ability, it will adapt toward what you did in a positive way.     3    

Two main factors are necessary in recovery: nutrition. and rest. Good nutrition, including water and protein intake, is extremely important, especially within 40 minutes of your workout.     4    Your body uses the nutrients you have given it during the rest time. especially sleep, to strengthen.

One of the best ways to prevent overtraining is to focus on your morning resting heart rate.     5    Generally, you will detect an increase in your heart rate before the other signs show up. Tracking it in a log can be a great way to monitor your recovery.

3 . As a personal trainer, I work with a variety of clients (客户).     1     More often, however, I work with people who are out of shape and just don’t know how to get started. For those people, here are simple ways to sneak exercise into their daily lives without too much effort.

Count your steps.

You can easily download a step counting app to track your steps for a full week and use the average number per day as your personal minimum (最小值). Check in with yourself each evening after dinner to see if you’ve hit your daily minimum.     2     Increase the number by five per cent for a few weeks before adding another five per cent.

    3    

When you watch TV, get up during commercials to walk around the house and/or do arm exercises with dumbbells or resistance bands. You could also climb a level in your home whenever the commercials are playing; top to bottom or bottom to top and back, depending on where your TV is.

Walk after eating.

It is reported that walking for just 1 0 minutes after eating a meal can lower blood sugar levels by 22 per cent. This is especially significant for people living with diabetes (糖尿病).     4    

Sit Up Straighter.

It’s a given that many of us sit too much these days.     5     One way to offset (弥补) this is to perform “back pocket” stretches hourly throughout your day when you are sitting. These movements build strength in the muscles of the upper back and only take a few seconds to do.

4 . A new study involving nearly 50,000 people from four continents offers new insights into identifying the quantity of daily walking steps that will best improve adults’ health and longevity(长寿), and whether the ideal number of steps differs across people of different ages. The study represents an effort to develop an evidence-based public health message about the benefits of physical activity. The often-repeated 10,000-step-a-day saying grew out of a decades-old marketing activity for a Japanese pedometer(计步器), with no science to back it up.

Led by physical activity professor Amanda Paluch, an international group of scientists conducted an experiment among adults aged 18 and older. They grouped the nearly 50,000 participants into four comparative groups according to average steps per day. The lowest step group averaged 3,500 steps; the second, 5,800; the third, 7,800; and the fourth, 10,900 steps per day. Among the three higher active groups, there was a 40—53% lower risk of death, compared to the lowest step group.

More specifically, for adults 60 and older, the risk of early death leveled off at about 6,000—8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity, while for adults younger than 60, about 8, 000—10,000 steps per day.

“So, what we saw was this continuing reduction in risk as the number of steps increases, until it levels off. Interestingly, the study found no definitive association with walking speed.” Paluch says.

The new study supports and expands findings from another study led by Paluch before, which found that walking at least 7,000 steps a day reduced middle-aged people’s risk of early death. “There’s a lot of evidence suggesting that moving even a little more is beneficial, particularly for those who are doing very little activity.” Paluch says. “More steps per day are better for your health.”

5 . Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability. Here are a few ways that exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

Exercise controls weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. Regular trips to the gym are great, but don’t worry if you can’t find lots of time to exercise every day.     1     Just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Worried about heart diseases? Expecting to prevent high blood pressure?     2     Being active increases the “good” cholesterol (胆固醇) and decreases unhealthy triglycerides (甘油三酯). This keeps your blood flowing smoothly, reducing your risk of suffering from heart and blood diseases.

Needing an emotional lift?     3     A visit to the gym or a brief walk can help. Physical activity stimulates (刺激) many brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

Struggling to fall into sleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep.     4     Or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

    5     They give you a chance to enjoy the outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.

7 . When the word exercise is seen or heard most people think of the physical labor it involves, but there is so much more to it. Exercise is more than just a twenty-minute run. Exercising is one of the most important things someone can do to take care of themselves and their bodies. The benefits of exercise include more than just physical, but also emotional and health benefits.

Exercise has positive effects on the brain’s functions. Exercise decreases anxiety, which is the body’s natural response to stress. Norepinephrine (去甲肾上腺素), which involves levels of stress, can be moderated with exercise because exercise increases the amounts of it.

Exercise enhances brain health. The brain is the center of control for the body’s entire sense of functioning, and without it all that would be left is muscles and bones. The mental health is linked to exercise. Mental health can be strengthened by physical activity whether it is a casual walk in the park, or intense weight lifting training. Exercise promotes positive body images when increasing self-esteem, and helps increase the overall self image. The emotional and mental benefits from exercise are vital and only growing, as more is being discovered about the brain’s functions.

Exercise is complex, and constantly changing. The physical benefits of flexibility, muscular strength and muscular endurance are all vital to creating a healthy body. The health benefits from exercise range from heart to immune system, and more are being discovered every day to help increase one’s life. Exercise is not limited to just the gym, but an entire existence. The combination of benefits is what makes exercise so cardinal. Exercise is one of the most important activities someone can introduce into their lives. A walk around a neighbourhood, or training for a team, any effort towards getting your heart rate going makes a difference. Exercise is universal and beneficial to everyone.

9 . Tips to Exercise When It’s Really Hot Outside

Exercising in the fresh air might seem like a good idea.     1     When we exercise outdoors in hot weather, there’s an increased risk of serious heart-related illnesses. Therefore, we need to bear some tips in mind during our workouts in the summer sunshine.

    2     Go in the morning or evening. The middle of the day isn’t a good time to exercise in the warmer months. If we choose to exercise in the midday sun or the afternoon sun, we’ll get tired soon and dehydrate (脱水) much faster in direct, intense sunlight.     3     Just try to exercise on the shady (背阴的) side of the building to avoid the midday sun.

Drink promptly (及时地). Regardless of how fit we are, exercising outside will pose a significant danger to our body when it’s hot. Drinking water is probably the most basic part of exercising in the sun.     4     Drink water every 15 minutes when exercising in the heat, even if we are not thirsty. Aim for 2 to 4 cups (16 to 32 ounces) of fluids each hour.

Dress appropriately. Wear material that will help our body breathe. Consider wearing light colored clothing.     5     Besides, sunscreen is a must whenever we exercise outdoors. In addition, don’t forget to bring a hat because it provides shade so our head can stay cool.