Exercise is an important component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, according to medical experts. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise in order to improve overall cardiovascular health.


Sarah North, a physical therapist for Select Physical Therapy in Southwest Austin, said the body needs the proper amount of “stress” to keep its systems strong and functioning.


“I consider exercise to the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems as one would consider vegetables for the digestive system,” North said. “We need a daily dose to keep our systems healthy. Without exercise, these systems lose their ability to tolerate the demands of daily life and can increase our susceptibility to injury and illness.”


North said that exercise impacts every part of the body regardless of the muscle being focused on.


“[Exercise] directly targets your muscle strength and flexibility, bone strength and density, and joint lubrication systems, but it also impacts our neurological system through proprioceptive input, neural firing and cognitive processing,” she said. “Cardiovascular exercise keeps our vascular system strong, and as many avid exercisers can attest to, it gives us good mental clarity and the sought-after “exercise high” created by endorphin release.  It also impacts our digestive, endocrine, urinary and many other systems of the body as well. So we can think of exercise as the perfect potion for health.”


Personal trainer Steven Appelhans with Anatomic Fitness in Oak Hill echoed a similar sentiment about how exercise is important for overall health of the body and brain.


“As humans, we are meant to move,” Appelhans said. “Our bodies come from the standpoint of the more you move the better it is for your body. We have a lot of technologies today that allow us to sit and be stagnant, but it’s not how we’re designed.”



Where to start


Beginning a proper exercise routine can be difficult especially if someone does not know where to start, Appelhans said. He suggested first setting a goal and then finding a professional, such as a personal trainer, who can help achieve that goal.


“Most people don’t have a strong knowledge base about exercise,” Appelhans said. “In school, we were taught math and science, but we weren’t taught how to move. You would need to get some sort of guidance, whether that be one-on-one guidance from a personal trainer or starting with an introductory-type class [at a local gym].”



Exercise regimen


How much should the average person exercise in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Appelhans said everyone is different, and the proper exercise regimen per week is dependent on a person’s lifestyle.


“I figure out what the person’s lifestyle is and how to incorporate exercise to enhance that lifestyle,” Appelhans said. “The routine is very dependent on the person, but the common theme with everyone is we need to move more than we are currently.”


He added that variety is also important when it comes to creating a proper exercise routine. Although specialized workouts are good for the body, they can also be negative as well.


“If you’re doing a specialized workout like Pilates, then you get really good at doing that,” Appelhans said. “But if your goal is to be a really good human then there will be a lot more components you need to incorporate other than just Pilates.”



Eating right


Eating properly is a major factor in the overall health of the body. North said food is the body’s fuel, so maintaining a healthy diet is important.


“Just as we need the proper fuel for our cars, our bodies require the right nutritional balance to support the system requirements of exercise,” North said.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services recommend a healthy eating pattern that includes a balance of vegetables; fruits; whole grains; fat-free or low-fat dairy; proteins, including seafood, lean meats and poultry; and plant oils. The agencies warn against added sugars, excess sodium and trans fats.



Common misconceptions


Anatomic Fitness personal trainer Steven Appelhans focuses on balance and strength with a client at his gym in Oak Hill.[/caption]

There are plenty of misconceptions about age and level of intensity when it comes to exercise. However, Appelhans said those misconceptions can stem from fear of failure and the unknown. He said every person is different, and exercise is important at all stages. North added that age should never be something to fear.


“If you cease to challenge your systems, their capabilities will dwindle to what we require of them,” North said. “There are safe ways to begin an exercise regimen no matter what your age.”



Keep it going


The challenge for some people is maintaining an exercise regimen, Appelhans said. After a long day it can be difficult to sustain motivation to exercise. Although accountability is important, Appelhans said the body releases hormones that can improve self-efficacy and quality of life, which keeps the body wanting more.


“The more you do it, the more your brain and body wants more,” Appelhans said.