Exercise for a Long, Healthy Life

Regardless of your current health, exercise can help you improve your quality of life.

We were designed to move, which means a sedentary lifestyle goes contrary to nature. As we age, this becomes even more important.

There are many ways to get these benefits regardless of where you are now in your health. Read on to learn about specific ways you can benefit.

Start From Where You Are Right Now

One of the biggest mistakes anyone makes when they first begin (or return to) exercising, is that they get too ambitious. Every trained athlete will tell you that the beginning of a new type or intensity of activity requires a slow, easy start.

That's not to say that you shouldn't be serious about the process. In fact, the best way to be serious requires that you only go as fast as you are ready to go. So how do you figure this out?

First, if you haven't exercised for a long time, you ought to get a good physical exam. No point in doing harm to yourself in the process and this exam will clear you of any concerns about your fitness to take on new activities.

The other advantage of getting this physical is that your doctor may be able to tell you what level he or she feels would be a good starting point for your program.

Levels of Difficulty

There are many ways to think about how difficult different physical activities are. Below is one way to identify these:

• Very Easy - this level includes simple stretching, very light calisthenics and slow walking.
• Easy - this would include more vigorous walking, and additional calisthenics along with less vigorous sports such as easy hiking.
• Moderate -
• Advanced -
• Extreme -

As you can see, there is a wide range of possibilities. Start from where you are right now and work up gradually from there.

And you don't need to aspire to Olympic level fitness. Even small gains will be very beneficial for you. The important thing is to get moving.

Learn More About How Exercise Helps Your Brain