Listener Question Mini-Series: What Are Your Recommendations for Exercise?
Hi friends! Today is the second episode of our summer mini-series where I’m answering your questions and talking about topics that you want to discuss. A few weeks ago I reached out on Instagram and asked what questions you had for me. Y’all had quite a few questions about exercise, so today I’m going to answer those! Let’s get into it!
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Exercise is something that we all have heard is good for us and know that we would be better off doing, but it’s also something that I often get questions about - specifically how much and what kind of exercise is best.
That’s exactly what a few of you asked and then also a bit more of a specific question - “Are cyclical exercises good for women?”
So let’s talk about basic recommendations first.
General Exercise Recommendations:
The ACSM, WHO, and AHA- basically all the overseeing medical organizations - recommend at least 150 minutes of structured exercise per week. This definition of exercise is an increase in energy expenditure and elevated heart rate for a sustained amount of time. This can be broken up however best fits your life and schedule. For example - you could choose to do 30 minutes a day, 5 days per week, 20 minutes per day, 7 days per week, or even 1 hour per day, 3 days per week. You can really choose any combination that works for you as long as you are hitting at least 150 minutes per week and up to 300 minutes per week.
It’s also recommended that included in that time, there be at least 2 days of weight-bearing exercise or strength training. This can be done with just body weight or with added weight (i.e. dumbbells, bars, machines, etc.)
As far as the method of exercise is concerned, that really is up to you and based on what your goals and exercise preferences are. Cyclical exercise can refer to two different things and I’m not sure which one this question is referring to, so I’ll just speak to both.
Cyclical exercise is a type of interval training where you have a short period of very vigorous and intense exercise, then a rest period where you allow your heart rate to slow back to a resting rate. It’s very similar to HIIT-style workouts, with the difference being a longer recovery period in between exercises. This style of exercise is great for some people and can be very effective for building endurance and increasing heart rate variability, which most health professionals believe leads to better overall health. It isn’t for everyone though and can be too intense for those just starting out or those with certain medical conditions.
Then there’s also the type of cyclical exercise which is a method where a woman chooses the type or style of exercise that you do based on what phase of the menstrual cycle she is in. Women’s bodies operate on a 28(ish) day cycle where multiple hormone levels fluctuate throughout the cycle. Many believe that women may be more inclined to enjoy certain types of exercise during certain phases of their cycle. For example, engaging in more intense or challenging type workouts during the latter part of the follicular phase, prior to ovulation, then choosing less intense, more restorative type exercises during the luteal phase of the cycle.
This is a really interesting theory and actually extends far beyond just exercise recommendations. There are theories for syncing your cycle with types of food, productivity at work, creativity, and more. I could probably do an entire episode on that actually, so if that’s something you would like to know more about, let me know.
As with anything health-related, there are tons of opinions and theories on exercise, but let’s just review the bottom line of what really matters when it comes to exercise.
Does exercise really matter?
The one thing that everyone agrees on is that exercise improves all areas of our health. Strength training builds bone and muscle mass, which becomes more and more important as we age. Building muscle burns more calories, which helps with weight loss. Exercise helps move the lymph in our bodies which increases efficiency of our detox pathways (this helps our livers, hormones, cognitive health, and so much more). Exercise improves cardiovascular health and mental health, as well as supports overall mood and decreases feelings of stress. Exercises also decreases chronic inflammation which helps everything in the body function better. I really could go on and on, but the point is that it matters and it’s worth the time and effort.
How can we make exercise work for us?
So, how do we make it work for us? This is where things typically break down and we struggle to exercise consistently, despite what we know to be true. Here are a few tips that I think are helpful for making exercise work for us.
Schedule it and put solid yellow lines around it (just like when driving, solid yellow lines means do not pass).
Add a friend. You’re much more likely to follow through if your friend is there waiting for you.
Choose an exercise that you enjoy! If you hate it, you won’t do it!
Don’t start with too much, too fast. If you injure yourself or even just end up super sore for a week, you’re less likely to go back and do it again. Start slow - just get moving!
Don’t underestimate the power of a walk! I guarantee you that if you go walk for just 10 minutes you will feel better than you did before.
Some of my favorite at-home workout resources are Lindsey Bomgren’s online workout program at Nourish, Move, Love, and Robin Long’s online fitness community at Lindeywell. Another great option, especially if you’re struggling with body image or just need some extra encouragement in the area of exercise and health is Jess Connolly’s Good Body Gals online community workouts.
Also, if you have a gym membership, look for group classes (body pump, barre, group yoga, etc.) at your gym! Participating in a class increases the likelihood that you will be consistent by checking off a lot of the tips that I mentioned before. Joining my local body pump class has done wonders in helping me to be more consistent in exercising!
It’s always good to be reminded about the importance of exercise and I hope you’ll implement a few of the tips that I shared here today. If you want more information about exercise I have a few other full-length episodes dedicated to different aspects of exercise - The Benefits of Strength Training for Women with Cassidy Tipton, CPT and well as Exercise as Medicine with Amy Shafer, CPT
