Pick Up The Pace With Exercise |
||
|
|
||
|
Have you ever
walked with someone who has a fast pace? Or have you tried to keep up
with a certain pace on an exercise machine? Sometimes, keeping up with
other people or machines feels uncomfortable at first because the pace
isn't what we're used to. Settling in to the routine of getting 30 minutes of
physical activity is the first step, but there is a next progressive
step to picking up the pace in your diabetes prevention plan—aerobic
exercise. just what is aerobic exercise? Any exercise that involves
rhythmic motion of your arms and legs—biking, jogging, walking,
cross-country skiing, in-line skating, swimming—and that is performed
at a pace that temporarily increases your breathing and heart rate.
It's recommended that you get aerobic exercise three to five times per
week for 20 to 60 minutes. Why include aerobic exercise? Because it improves
your body's ability to use insulin, which may help prevent diabetes.
Aerobic exercise also burns calories to help you manage your weight,
strengthens your heart and lungs, and gives you endurance. If you're not doing any aerobic exercise right now, it may be best
to ease into it. In fact, if you haven't exercised in quite some time,
check with your doctor before you begin. Then, start exercising by
spreading your workouts throughout the week and doing only small
amounts. For example, start out with 10 minutes, three times per week,
and then increase the amount of time a few minutes each week until you
get into the recommended range of 20 to 60 minutes. Once you're within
that range, you can add another day or two to your routine. How can
you tell if you are exercising hard enough? Generally, you are
breathing harder and you will feel a little uncomfortable, in terms of
going at a speed out of your normal pace. However, if you can't carry
on a normal conversation while exercising, you are exercising too hard.
Most likely, you have heard about measuring your heart rate to
determine if your pace if fast enough. Another simpler way to measure
if your pace is where it should be is to assess each workout on a scale
of 1 to 20 with 1 being very, very light and 20 being very, very hard.
Exercise should feel somewhat hard -- but not strenuous -- to maximize
the benefits. On the 1 to 20 scale, this is around 13 to 15. Before
jumping right into an aerobic exercise workout, do a warm-up to get
your body ready for exercise. A warm-up could include walking or biking
slowly for a few minutes. After the warm-up, it is important to stretch
your muscles for several minutes. This increases your flexibility and
prepares your muscles for exercise, thus preventing injuries. After the
aerobic exercise do a cool-down to slow your heart rate and to return
your blood pressure to normal. Stretching again will reduce muscle
soreness. Keep in mind that when you start a new exercise routine,
you work your muscles in a different way, which can lead to some
stiffness or soreness for a day or two. This won't last for long after
your body adjusts to the activities you choose. However, if you have
any pain in muscles or joints that seems unusual or that persists for
several days, contact you healthy care provider. |
||