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How Much Exercise is Enough to Stay Healthy?



You always hear that exercise is good for you — but is there such a thing as too much exercise? Exercising can be fun and energizing, but it is often overrated. How do you know which exercises are really the best? And how often should you exercise? This article describes what researchers and scientists are now saying …

Moderate exercise, such as walking, can reduce the risk of diabetes in obese and sedentary people whose blood sugar is starting to rise. That outcome was shown in a large federal study in which participants were randomly assigned either to an exercise and diet program, to take a diabetes drug or to serve as controls. Despite trying hard, those who dieted and worked out lost very little weight. But they did manage to maintain a regular walking program, and fewer of them went on to develop diabetes.


Exercise also may reduce the risk of heart disease, though the evidence is surprisingly mixed. There seems to be a threshold effect: Most of the heart protection appears to be realized by people who go from being sedentary to being moderately active, usually by walking regularly. More intense exercise has been shown to provide only slightly greater benefits. Yet the data from several large studies have not always been clear, because those who exercise tend to be very different from those who do not.


Active people are much less likely to smoke; they’re thinner and they eat differently than their sedentary peers. They also tend to be more educated, and education is one of the strongest predictors of good health in general and a longer life. As a result, it is impossible to know with confidence whether exercise prevents heart disease or whether people who are less likely to get heart disease are also more likely to be exercising.


Scientists have much the same problem evaluating exercise and cancer. The same sort of studies that were done for heart disease find that people who exercised had lower rates of colon and breast cancer. But whether that result is cause or effect is not well established.

If you find that getting regular exercise remains a challenge, then at least start with the 3 exercises shown in the video, below …



Anyone who’s sitting most of the day (at a desk, in a car, around the table) should undoubtedly be doing some daily exercises to loosen and strengthen hip flexor muscles.
These “hidden” muscles are important for overall health and well-being and are often the source of a wide range of problems such as:

bad posture,

bulging stomach,

joint pains in legs, lower back or hips,

trouble sleeping,

digestive problems,

general sluggishness.

Chad shows how to do his Top 3 Exercises to strengthen your Hip Flexor muscles:




Article Source: Gina Kolata

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