Why exercise | Signature OB/GYN

Increase Exercise & Activity

By Iris Farrou 04 Aug, 2020 Lifestyle Tips exercise, exercise breaks, short exercise sessions, Why exercise, workday exercise

More and more people are working from home right now, as some office jobs are even moving employees to permanent remote positions. While you may not realize it, you move around less when you work from home, decreasing your daily number of steps. The walk from the car, through the office, around your desk, to the work shared kitchen, etc. all add to your daily steps. This means, you need to get more accustomed to finding ways to increase your step count and daily exercising activity, which could mean finding time to exercise two or more times per day.

Adults should reach 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, which breaks down to 30 minutes five days a week. However, with daily steps down for those who are working from home, it may be beneficial to consider ways to increase your activity throughout the day.

Set Small Goals

As little as 15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise increases brain connectivity and efficiency. This means, if you are working from home, you can boost your overall efficiency of work after a short walk! Sitting at a computer all day is not healthy (for your body, brain, or eyes) for prolonged periods. Setting a goal for a short 15-minute walk twice daily is an ideal way to give your mind and body a break, while also boosting your mood through the endorphins that are produced by exercise.

Include Your Kids

Are your kids home for summer or doing e-learning right now? If so, include them in your twice daily exercise breaks. Shorts exercise sessions have all the same benefits for children, giving their mind, body, and eyes a break from sitting and looking a screen. One good way of keeping track is to link the family’s phone calendar and set reminders. This way, twice a day, your phone will alert every when it’s time to meet by the front door to go!

Vary the Activities

While walking is the easiest way to get moving, you don’t need to stop there. Mix up the routine with other types of exercising. Cycling, yoga, stretching, and weight training are all ways to get the family involved with little space or set up. Many families already have bikes, so planning 15-minute neighborhood rides, while the weather is nice, is ideal. Additionally, consider ordering some free weights and gym mats to set up a small workout area in an under-used living room, garage, or basement.

Yoga for Mindfulness

Whether or not you have done yoga before, it is a great way to give the thinking mind a break. Yoga revolves around focusing on deep breathing, while performing stretches. Because your brain focuses on your breath, it truly gives the thinking/worrying/work-focusing parts of your mind a break. Additionally, yoga stretches help counter act the negative impacts of sitting at a desk in front of a screen. There are many yoga videos available on YouTube, but you could also subscribe to virtual classes from a local yoga studio for a more personalized approach.

Takeaway

While a 30-minute evening walk might have been enough for the hustle and bustle of busy daily life pre-pandemic, it’s best to find ways to integrate shorter exercise breaks throughout the day for parents and kids working and learning from home.

Why Exercise is So Important for Women

By admin 25 Mar, 2014 Women's Health Chouchani MD, Importance of exercise, OBGYN practice Buffalo, Why exercise, women's health tips

You’re constantly being told that you should exercise, but it can be hard to find the time—let alone the motivation! Maybe you don’t have to lose weight. Maybe you realize that the images of women’s bodies you see in magazines are as phony as a three-dollar bill. But the best reasons for getting exercise are not about how you look. There are several health issues that you can treat, or avoid, just by exercising regularly.

Exercise will keep your heart healthy. Your heart is the hardest working muscle in your body, and any exercise that elevates your heart rate and breathing makes your heart healthier and stronger. And if you have a family history of heart disease, enjoying regular exercise can add a few years to your life.
Exercise helps relieve stress. And we all have stress! Whether at work or at home, whenever you’re feeling stressed, get up and go for a walk or a bike ride. It’ll help calm you down and use that nervous energy for productive results.
Exercise plays a major role preventing osteoporosis, a disease that is particularly prevalent in women. Lifting weights, running, yoga and other activities can help delay or even prevent osteoporosis.
Exercise helps moms set a great example for their children. You’ll be teaching them about self-discipline and demonstrating how to be healthy, and the energy you get from exercise can only help you with parenting!
Exercise may prevent certain cancers, especially breast cancer. That’s a great reason to do it.
Exercise will lift your mood! You’ll feel great when you exercise regularly. It releases endorphins into your bloodstream that will help you sail through most of your day.
Exercise will help you live longer! Research has proven that you can extend your lifespan by exercising regularly.
Exercise can help you lose weight, or just control and manage it. Either way, you’ll avoid many health problems associated with being overweight.

So, what kind of exercise should you be doing?

Get some cardiovascular exercise for sure, but don’t take it too easy on yourself. If your workouts consist of lifting light weights and slow-paced cardio, you likely won’t get great results. Try:

High-intensity training – you need to sweat and increase your heart rate.
Heavier lifting – Doing fewer reps with more weight will burn more fat and increase your strength.
Focusing on your upper body more often – This is an area that women need to concentrate on building.

And don’t forget, you don’t have to join a gym to get exercise. Walk, run or bike around the block, chase your kids or your dog around the yard, or lift weights while you’re watching TV. As the old slogan said, “Just do it!”

Looking for a top OBGYN practice in Buffalo? The doctors at Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello MD are committed to helping our patients achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. We are committed to women’s health. Call us to find out more information about our practice or make an appointment today!

All Posts tagged Why exercise