Move Your Body!

How much time is one supposed to work out each day? One hour, two hours, five minutes? There have been numerous studies about the length of time needed for someone to properly exercise and the most common answer is 30 minutes. Along with healthy eating, sleeping and hygiene habits, working out for at least 30 minutes for about 5 days a week is exactly what the American College of Sports Medicine recommends. Not sure how to plan your 30 minutes sessions? Mix them up!

First, take a couple minutes to stretch to avoid cramps, loosen up your muscles, and make sure you have water nearby. Try to incorporate at least 10-15 minutes of cardio! Jumping jacks, jogging, utilizing the elliptical, taking a Zumba class, etc. are all things you can switch up. Some people also prefer fast and intense workouts. For example, spending 30 seconds of the highest speed you can tolerate, then 30 seconds of normal speed on a treadmill. Repeat with another form of cardio or go back to a normal speed.

For resistance training make sure to combine upper and lower body exercises, unless you chose to switch it up every other workout. Try doing pushups with an exercise ball underneath your hips or legs to work on your upper body. Lunges are an excellent workout for your thighs: stand with feet about hip–width apart, take a large step forward with either leg, then lower your body toward the floor, align your front knee with your ankle, back knee pointing towards the floor. Repeat this process with your other leg and so on.

No matter how you chose to spice up your workout routine always make sure to leave a few minutes to cool down naturally, take a short walk to lower your heartbeat, and re-hydrate. Do not consume a heavy meal right before a workout because your body will focus more of its energy trying to break that food down rather than burning calories in time for swimsuit season. Keeping active for at least 30 minutes per day will help keep your body happy and healthy, so what are you waiting for?