As we continue the series of "Childhood obesity: top 10 culprits", we move on to the all-important subject of ... drum-roll please... exercise! Such a great topic and such a great activity to do. What other activity can you do that involves strengthening your heart and your body, clears your mind, gets you in a good mood while increasing energy, gives you clearer skin and deeper sleep -- all at the same time ... AND you also look great if you do it often?! That sounds like a good deal to me!
SO, how much exercise is good for my son or daughter? The current recommendations for all children and teens (and adults, as a matter of fact) from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine involve a commitment of 1 hour most days of the week. To the families that I work with, that signifies 4 days a week of 40-60 minutes of moderate intensity activity and exercise (www.mytrainingzone.com).
What does moderate intensity mean? In general, it is based on level of exertion on a scale of 1-10 (1is lounging, 10 is out of breath). The aim is at about 5-6 or so where you are able to exercise and still able to talk (CDC Talk Test and Perceived Exertion). If you do intervals, sprints, or any variation of exercise, you want to be sure to invest in at least some sessions with a personal trainer to assure that you are doing the exercises correctly, safely and most efficiently (believe it or not, you can actually wear yourself out doing exercise and still have not maximized your workout).
Almost more important than the actual workout itself is to remember to warm up, stretch, cool down and stretch once more. It has been reported that it is a more efficient stretch out that significantly decreases the amount of injuries if you warm up a bit first (such as a light to brisk walk for the first 5 minutes) and then stretch for a few minutes before continuing with your workout. After exercise, the stretching helps the muscle and body to recuperate in order to be ready for another day of exercise soon. If you do not stretch out, you are significantly increasing the odds that you may get injured. Plus, if you do stretching often, you will see that becoming more flexible has the added benefits of increasing circulation, feeling less stiff, relieving stress, and improving joint range of motion.
Picture by Annakar Wowska, PhotoXpress
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