Hello world, I am Manisha. I am an upcoming nutritionist and a fitness/yoga enthusiast. I am passionate about nutrition, fitness and mental health. In this article, we will discuss how a sedentary lifestyle can impact our health in many ways and how staying active can benefit our health.
We are all very well aware of the fact that exercising makes a healthy lifestyle habit for a great health. There are many things known and unknown with this respect. Most of the people google their solutions from the internet (yes I know ). Gathering information from various sources is good but always consider a specialist or an expert with proper certification. This not only enhances the results in your fitness but also avoids any kind of negative health consequences or accidents.
There are different forms of exercises for different preferences. Walking, running or jogging, Yoga, HIIT, boxing, aerobics, dance forms, swimming, gymnastics, outdoor sports, Pilates, and various other activities that keep you moving. Just like we have taste preferences regarding food, similarly, every person has a liking towards one particular activity or sport or fitness routine that suits them or that makes them happy.
Every person has a different body with different bone structure, different muscle build with a different fat deposition. The same kind of exercise might not suit a huge population. The statistics might change with the gender, age, underlying diseases, pregnancy, nourishment of the person, habits /addictions, medications, surgeries, drug abuse, mental health, trauma or amputation of any body part etc.
Let us see the various stages of life and how to stay active and fit during these stages:
Infancy : Infants have a sedentary lifestyle mostly sleeping and getting nourished with breastmilk and semi solids. The best form of exercise during infancy is a massage for 25 mins/day – 5 days a week. Massage not only activates the lymph but also gives them a stronger muscle build and bone alignment. The more you stretch, the more the muscles contract and get stronger.
Toddlers/ young and Adolescents (2 – 17 years) : The only best way for this particular age group to stay active is to find their favourite sport and keep them active for 1 hour/day – 365 days in a year. This is the only way their young muscles are stretched, torn, repaired, and get better and stronger. The only way to have a good bone density is by using your bones to the fullest at this age. This is the right age for the skeletal structure to mature and gain more density for future reserves. Never let your toddler sit in front of the TV or the computer for long. There are many activities to keep your child always on the move and outdoorsy. Consult experts who can counsel your kids to be more active at this age.
Young adults (18 – 25years) : This is a phase where you start to gain weight, lack time for physical activities. Changes in lifestyles, environmental changes, lack of physical activity are the major reasons for weight gain and other obesity related issues and diseases that start from this stage of life. Always make time for self and health to avoid any irreversible health issues. Also this is the age where there are more mental health issues which can lead to eating disorders, drug abuse and lifestyle disorders like alcoholism, smoking, other felonious or unlawful activities. There is more energy at this age which can be explored into healthy lifestyle changes like exercise, hobbies and healthy love relationships.
Adults (26- 40 years) : These are the ages where mostly the lifestyles are tuned into pregnancies, parenting, work. There is more lack of free time, lessened energy levels, increased responsibilities, emotional disturbances. (Always remember emotional disturbances stay in one’s life at every stage of life.)
One must always find time to at least go for a walk for 30-40 mins a day on all days of the week.
HIIT can also be included which reduces the time of exercise and expands the results.
10 mins of jumping jacks, skipping or any active form like burpees, weights, squats, push-ups, crunches, lunges, stretching (surya namaskar) mountain climbers can be performed which takes less time but can tone the muscle quickly.
But the above have to be performed after seeking professional help and also one must consider their health issues like prior accidents, surgeries, fractures, pregnancy, post- partum, previous internal bleeding history, familial hernia disorders etc.
People with diabetic conditions or any chronic/acute conditions must always follow their physician or physiotherapist.
Adults (41 – 60 years) : At this stage of life, most of the lifestyle disorders are in and people will be in the process of modifying their routines for a better living. With age, the energy levels reduce and food intake and nutrition related problems arise which makes it difficult to perform heavy physical exercises.
Basic exercises like yoga, stretching, walking can be done weekly thrice depending on the person’s energy levels and underlying health conditions.
Adults ( 61 and above) : During this stage of life, most of the energy levels are depleted and many geriatric conditions arise. Lack of strength and grip, imbalance, nervous conditions, loss of muscle due to age etc are some of the issues that makes the person less mobile and active.
Physiotherapy might help
yoga, walking
squeezing soft balls (rubber balls) can improve hand grip.
One can perform basic stretching activity by just sitting on the chair or lying on the floor.
Pregnancy: There are many myths regarding pregnancy and fitness. There is no excuse to sit idle or sleep all throughout your pregnancy without any active work. But always consider your health before starting any exercise. Never start any new form of exercises during pregnancy which is alien to you. Always start with basic stretches and walking. Anybody who is used to regular yoga and weights can perform till a particular stage and not letting over exhaustion or breathlessness. Weights can be lifted but in the right squatting position. Always consult experts.
Remember to always stay hydrated before and after exercise. (For all ages)
More articles on the way for various exercise forms and how they enhance various muscles and posture corrections. How each person’s body differs and how to choose the right exercise form! Have a great weekend!
Author
Manisha Bhavana
Nutritionist and Mental health coach
Founder- NUtreboot
For consultations relating to health/mental/ fitness or even astrological related concerns, please feel free to write to me nutreboot@gmail.com
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