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When I think about assessing treasures, I think about the precious treasure that is your body! Now, in assessing it, I’m not talking about checking out your booty in the store window, but assessing what you’re doing to keep your body kickin’ well into your later years.
Let’s think about this, I mean really think about this. Yep, it is time for a self-assessment.
Can you look yourself (or your booty) in the mirror and say that you’re honestly being active enough to see the physical and emotional benefits of exercise? If you’re not sure how much that should be, you only need two and a half hours a week of moderate intensity aerobic activity to gain substantial health benefits, according to the 2008 Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines! However, for more extensive benefits, they suggest adults increase their aerobic physical activity to five hours a week of moderate intensity exercise, with strength training at least two days a week.
If you’re just a tad curious about what those “extensive benefits” are, I have a challenge for you. Go ahead, get the five hours of moderate intensity exercise with two days of strength training and see how you feel. For this one week, schedule your workouts like non-negotiable appointments. Block the time out in your Blackberry, shut off your phone and get moving!
To get you started, I created an outdoor workout for you, just in time for spring! You don’t need any equipment, just a track or a flat road in your neighborhood! This should take about one hour to complete at a moderate intensity. This workout is longer than most, because it isn’t quite as intense. This will get you one hour closer to your five hours of activity for the week!
- Warm up walking around the track for five minutes.
- Walk as fast as you can at a comfortable pace for five minutes.
- 1 minute jumping jacks.
- 1 minute skipping. Yeah, skipping, just like you did in grade school.
- 1 minute fast walking.
- 1 minute high knee walking. With each step, lift your knees high, like you’re trying to step over a big object.
- 1 minute booty kickers. With each step, bring your foot back to touch your booty. Move quickly and move forward as you’re doing it.
- 1 minute fast walking.
- 1 minute side shuffle right. Facing the center of the track, with your right foot as your lead foot, shuffle around the track.
- 1 minute side shuffle left. Facing the outside of the track, with your left foot as your lead foot, shuffle around the track.
- 5 minutes walking.
- Repeat #3-11 two times.
- Walk at a slower, cool down pace for five minutes.
Visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/10/20081007a.html for more info on those guidelines I’m talking about! Keep in mind, if you do vigorous intensity exercise, only two and a half hours a week are recommended. *Always consult a physician before beginning any new exercise program.
More articles by Jenny Anchondo
Jenny Anchondo is a certified personal trainer though the American Council on Exercise. She is also a journalist and morning news anchor for KOLD-TV, the CBS affiliate here in Tucson. Combining her two passions of writing and educating people about fitness, Jenny is a perfect fit into the Connections for Women family. To learn more about Jenny Anchondo we invite you to read her bio on the KOLD_TV website
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