To fight effectively against obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and to delay aging, physical activity is particularly recommended. This spring break period is ideal for practicing an activity, which one to choose and how often?
- Physical activity is excellent for health, the ideal is to practice 45 minutes, 4 to 5 times a week.
- Different activities can be complementary, such as running, cycling or swimming.
- It is also possible to practice in a gym, on different machines.
What is the right “dose” of sport? Ideally 45 minutes, 4 to 5 times a week, and not 45 times a minute every day, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. There was an official campaign on this subject but it is totally unrealistic.
Can we exercise too much?
For example, is it reasonable to run five times a week? Whatever the activity, the best solution is to buy a heart rate watch. Choose the cheapest one because most of the very expensive features are useless, the most important thing is to read the instructions carefully, because the operation is very simple, but you need to do a little calculation to know what is the right frequency for burning fat and the one that makes your heart work efficiently. You can also find this information on the internet.
Exercising in the gym?
Very fashionable, the gym is however expensive. For most of us, the ideal gym is a place where we can shed excess pounds and improve our cardiovascular fitness. Therefore, the choice is not on the number of machines, but on some simple equipment, such as bicycles or treadmills… If you do not have the means, it is also possible to do it at home. .
Running
It is the simplest activity to practice and the most economical. It is important to choose your shoes carefully. Without buying overpriced models, take them at least one size above your usual shoe size, because the feet are fragile.
In addition, it is necessary not to practice only sports that support the load of your weight but to alternate with activities in weightlessness.
cycling and swimming
Two very simple and popular sports.
The bike can be used outdoors but also on inexpensive rollers, which will turn it into an excellent exercise bike.
Swimming only requires knowing how to swim and not being afraid of water. There are almost no contraindications to this activity. Unfortunately, we are not a particularly swimming country.
If you suffer from aquaphobia, an uncontrollable anxiety that can evolve into a panic attack, sometimes leading to drowning, it is possible that the origin of this fear comes from visions or reports of accidents. Some psychiatrists also believe that it is possible to find the roots of this aquaphobia in the baths of early childhood.
It is possible to overcome your fear of water, but you must above all avoid certain stupid behaviors: forcing a person to bathe if they do not want to, talking to them about their will when they tell you their fears. To overcome this, you can call on a psychotherapist or a sophrologist, they will teach you relaxation techniques based on breathing, concentration and relaxation of the body. There are also lifeguards specializing in this area who provide courses to combat aquaphobia.
If we summarize the ideal prescription for your vacation (to be extended later depending on your living conditions): jogging twice a week, alternating with cycling or swimming.
