Exercise

Muscle is the largest organ in your body.  When active it secretes molecules that signal other organs, including your brain, liver, adipose tissue, bones, etc… Physical inactivity decreases these important signaling molecules.  As a result physical inactivity can negatively impact almost all organ systems. 

To experience all the benefits ideally you need to incorporate 3 types of exercise:

  1. Weight / Resistance Training (2-4x/week): After about age 30 we start to slowly lose muscle and bone mass, which contributes to much morbidity and mortality in our later years. Lifting weights and starting early can drastically reduce muscle and bone loss as we age. 

  2. HIIT Training (1-3x/ week): This will improve your VO2 max, which is how much oxygen you can use in a given time. Improved VO2 Max is strongly correlated with a decrease in all cause mortality. For more information on how to improve your VO2 Max, click here.

  3. Zone 2 Cardiovascular Training (1-3x/week): Can you speak in sentences while jogging? Zone 2 is equivalent to 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. Max heart rate = 220- age, so if you are 50yo: 220 - 50 = 170 and 70% of that is 120.  Any form of cardio will do: try running, biking, swimming…

Find activities you enjoy, whether it's yoga, walking, swimming, or dancing…Get Moving!