Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body and the soul. It boosts your mood, helps you be healthier, and keeps your body working as effectively as it can. It helps you maintain a healthy weight, avoid many common health issues, and reduce your likelihood of injury and sickness. But as more research is done and new techniques are explored, many of us have to alter our perspectives and ideas on what exercises are the most beneficial and how we approach our exercise regimen.

Myth #1: Short, Quick Workouts Are Just As Effective As Lengthy Ones

Some gym rats will spend hours in the gym each day, yet they barely break a sweat. Others will have a super intensive workout that only lasts 15 minutes. Whose method is best? Honestly, neither one is ideal. For exercise to be truly effective, you should aim for high intensity workouts that last at least 30 minutes, and they should happen at least 3 times per week. A vigorous workout will get your heart rate up, get you sweating, and leave you with all the feel-good benefits immediately after a workout. If pain is holding you back from working out, make an appointment with Lithia Springs chiropractor Dr. Ronnie Bolar to help manage your pain and improve your health and activity levels.

Myth #2: Cardio Workouts Are Better Than Strength Training

When you think about vigorous, high-intensity workouts, you probably think of doing cardio: running on the treadmill, climbing the stair master, or pumping away on the elliptical. While these are definitely beneficial for many reasons, they should actually be paired with strength training workouts for the most benefits. Strength training is more effective at producing lean muscle, which helps minimize body fat and burn more calories. Strength training can also help improve bone health, improve joint health, and decrease the risk of herniated discs or back injury. Proper form is key, of course, so be sure to take it slow to begin with and make the most of every workout, no matter if it’s aerobic exercise or strength training.

Myth #3: Exercise Burns a Lot of Calories

You’ve probably heard it said that you need to burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound. Unfortunately, exercise doesn’t burn a ton of calories really quickly, so if you’ve got some weight to lose, you need to be in it for the long haul in order to see results. To put it in perspective, running is considered the best calorie-burning exercise, and it only burns an average of 800 calories per hour (based on intensity, duration, your weight, etc.). Bicycling, calisthenics, circuit training, jump rope, and rowing are next in line for highest calorie workouts, but intensity and duration are a big part of working out effectively.

If you want to better your health with exercise, be sure you do your research to determine the best plan of action for your personal goals and lifestyle. Also be sure to contact Dr. Ronnie Bolar at Vital Life Chiropractic in Lithia Springs to get under chiropractic care to maximize your health and optimize your body’s function.

 

 

Sources

Darren, E.R., Warburton, C., Whitney, N., Shannon, S.D. “Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence.” CMAJ. 2006 Mar 14; 174(6): 801–809. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1402378/

Yeomens, S.G., “Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy.” Spine Health.  https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/exercise-and-chiropractic-therapy