Daily exercise significantly impacts overall health, optimizing function of vital organs, improving mental health, reducing risk of disease, and more. Therefore, regular exercise may lead to a longer and healthier life. But there aren’t unlimited hours in a day. Many of us have full time jobs, which often involve long hours of sitting. It can be challenging to incorporate daily exercise. The most recent edition of Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week. Also, incorporate strength training two or more days weekly. I am going to discuss how we can effectively and efficiently exercise.

1. Mentality- Enter your daily workout with a present mind and intention. Have a goal in mind and work towards that goal without (or with minimal) distraction.
2. Breath- Focus on breathing. Taking a breath is not something we typically have to focus on as it is a natural mechanism. However, when exercising, particularly vigorous exercise, you may find yourself holding your breath. Taking regular, deep diaphragmatic breaths will allow adequate oxygen delivery to muscles while also engaging the core.
3. Heart Rate (HR)- How do we gauge moderate vs high intensity? Or aerobic vs anaerobic exercise? This is where monitoring heart rate is key. Smart watches or a simple (and affordable) monitor are going to help us reach our goals here.
   • Calculating maximum HR: 220-age  (i.e. a 30 year old has a maximum heart rate of 190 bpm)
   • Moderate intensity exercise: 50-70% maximum HR   (i.e. 30 year old: 95-133 bpm)
   • High intensity (vigorous) exercise: 70-85% maximum HR   (i.e. 30 year old: 133-162 bpm)
   • Anaerobic exercise: HR is typically >80% max. rate. More effective at burning fat than aerobic exercise.
4. Muscle- Engaging muscle groups with a purpose. For example, you are performing a classic push-up. Instead of just popping up and down as fast as possible, try this: activate your core, focus on proper positioning, and slowly perform the movements while thinking about tricep engagement. Quality is better than quantity!
5. Stretch- ALWAYS stretch. Stretching is important before and after exercise. The most important reason being injury prevention. A couple more top benefits include improved circulation, helping build muscle mass, and stress relief. Over time, you will likely see an improvement in performance with regular exercise.

Application of the above five points will help you exercise more effectively and efficiently, optimizing your valuable time. Aiming for at least 20 minutes of moderate or greater intensity exercise daily and incorporating strength training will help you lead a long, healthy life.

Let’s all move more!

Lindsey, PharmD, BCPS

References:

Physical activity guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. (n.d.). https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf

Target heart rates chart. www.heart.org. (2023, May 15). https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates