We have all heard (at least once) that exercise is important and we should find the time do get it in. Unfortunately, for many of us, minutes run into hours, hours into days, days to weeks and so on. All the while, we have not made the time to exercise.
To those in this predicament I say “No More!”
There are many reasons why, but a looming danger is Type 2 Diabetes. Approximately 14.9 million in the U.S. aged 18 or older have diabetes. 90-95% of which is type 2 diabetes. “Diabetes is a disease that limits the body’s ability to either produce (type 1) or respond (type 2) the hormone insulin”.
Women’s chances of a Type 2 Diabetic diagnosis increase by being inactive, smoking, being overweight or obese, high blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Exercising improves blood glucose, helps promote weight loss, and reduces several other factors that can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association “a woman should exercise every day or at least every 2 days. Her exercise should consist of both aerobic and resistance training”.
Want to prevent the leading cause of death in women? Start exercising!
Approximately 1 in 3 women in the U.S. will die from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). In a study done the Cardiovascular Health study by Soares-Miranda et al. (2015), found that women (73 +/- 6 as a baseline) who walked 3 mph had a 50%, 53%, 50% lower risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and CVD, respectively.
You can see it doesn’t take much and you’re never too old to make a positive impact on your health. Ideally you should do a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
I realize finding the time may be a challenge, but when you look at the risks of not, you see you can’t afford not to find the time. Start slow with 2-3 days at 30-45 minutes a week and work your way up to more time and more days.
If you’re going to start lifting weights, perform reps of 15 or more per exercise. Choose an exercise for each body part to start and make sure you rest at least 1 day, preferably 2 before lifting full body again.
Scott Keppel is the owner of Scott’s Training Systems, a world-class coaching facility in Chandler, Arizona. He is a nationally certified trainer through NASM and ISSA. His mission is to empower women of all ages and fitness levels. For more information head to scottstrainingsystems.com or check him out on Instagram at @stsnation.
