Exercise

Getting enough daily exercise can be a challenge, especially for students or those who work sedentary jobs. The great news is that even moderate and low-impact exercise can significantly benefit the body’s health and physical wellness, thereby promoting mental health. You do not need a fancy gym, expensive workout clothes or pricy supplements either. Walking, jogging, doing yoga with a YouTube video, playing sports outside and simple body weight exercises are enough to keep you physically well. Everyone, regardless of age, size, or shape, will benefit from physical activity each day.

The amount of physical activity you need each day depends on your desired goals. Your exercise needs may be different if you are looking to increase strength or flexibility, lose weight, run a marathon, train for the Olympics, or simply improve your body’s heart, lung and brain functions. At least 30 minutes of exercise is recommended each day to keep your body healthy. Your desired goals will determine the type, duration and frequency of physical activity.

Weight Loss

If you are looking to lose weight, exercise (along with nutrition and adequate sleep), will help build muscle, burn fat and increase your metabolism. If you are intimidated by exercise, start slow. Begin walking for half an hour each day, start slow weight training with low weights or try following along with a cardio, stretching or yoga class on YouTube. No matter what your weight is, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day will have immediate health benefits that will sport weight loss. “The health benefits of physical activity are generally independent of body weight. Adults of all sizes and shapes gain health and fitness benefits by being habitually physically active. The benefits of physical activity also outweigh the risk of injury and heart attacks, two concerns that may prevent people from becoming physically active” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018).

Not sure what your ideal weight should be? You can use a BMI (body mass index) calculator to gain an understanding of whether you are underweight or overweight. “Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women” (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, n.d).

Calculate you BMI here: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

In order to maintain weight, most people will require about 150-300 minutes of exercise each week. To lose a significant amount of weight, the average person will require 300+ minutes of exercise each week. That is about 5 hours/week.

This may sound like a lot and you may be feeling overwhelmed, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while but there are some simple habits that can increase physical activity throughout your day.

  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Try biking or walking to work instead of driving.
  • If you have a break during work or school, go for a short walk around the block.
  • Try hiking, swimming, biking, rollerblading or ice-skating.
  • Try playing sports like baseball, basketball or soccer.
  • Use YouTube at home for thousands of workouts you can do right from your living room.

Individuals may want to lose weight for a number of reasons:  to fit into clothes more comfortably, to feel better about their appearance, to keep up with their kids or grandkids, or to perhaps train for a fitness goal. Besides these reasons, maintaining a healthy body weight also has many health benefits inside your body:

  • Decreases risks for heart disease and stroke.
  • Decreases the risk for type 2 Diabetes.
  • Decreases risk for some forms of Cancer.
Body Function

Exercise should be a regular part of everyone’s daily routine because activity helps keep your body function throughout the day. There are immediate changes in the brain after exercising including “improved thinking or cognition for children 6 to 13 years of age and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults. Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).

Getting regular exercise can even help you live longer. "It has been estimated that people who are physically active for approximately 150 minutes a week have a 33 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are not physically active” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). It has also been proven that integrating exercise into daily life in small ways like taking the stairs, going for a walk or biking to work or school instead of driving is better than doing large amounts of exercise less frequently.

Resources

If you are a student or work a desk job, you may find it difficult to get enough physical activity during the day. If you are able, consider taking a walk during your lunch break or do some stretches at your desk. You should try to get up and move at least once per hour.

If you are looking for resources on campus, there are a number of areas where you can work out and become more physically active.

For more information about health and wellness services at King’s University please visit: https://www.kings.uwo.ca/current-students/student-affairs/mental-health-and-wellness-at-king-s/