The benefits of exercise for your mind & body

What is the best type of exercise?

The answer here is simple. The best type of exercise is the one you are currently doing and/or are enjoying.

When so many of us are tight for time, engaging in pleasurable exercise will make you more likely to sustain it. And pleasure is key, as biologically we are wired to avoid pain (which exercise can induce) and seek pleasure.

Research has shown that exercise has many health implications and as such has become a prescription, much like a drug prescription, used by doctors and allied health practitioners to help improve your health.

As such, when engaging in exercise you should consider your medical history, risk factors, preferences, goals, environment, genetics, skill, and ability.

How much should you exercise, and how often?

The evidence shows that in general more exercise is better, and any exercise is better than none.

For example, achieving 200 minutes of moderate activity a week is better than 150 minutes. Similarly, achieving 20 minutes a week is better than 10 minutes. We also know that the relationship between intensity of physical activity and mortality is linear.

That means that engaging in vigorous intensity exercise for 10 minutes is better than engaging in moderate intensity exercise for 10 minutes. If maintained, 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week, or 1 hour 3 times per week) should enable you to realise most of the health benefits you can find below.

Remember though you still need to move and aim to get your 15000 daily steps regardless of the exercise you do that day.

Overall general guidelines call for a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training, for example:

• Minimum 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or swimming at least five days a week.
• Moderate weightlifting at least twice a week, or frequently enough to cover the major muscle groups.

Remember exercise should be prescribed to match your unique circumstances and goals (consult a personal trainer if you don't know where to start) and that you should always listen to your body to inform your choice. For now, you can be confident in your knowledge that the evidence on the effectiveness of regular movement and exercise at preventing both primary and secondary disease, as well as premature death is irrefutable.

This applies to all ages and includes people with disabilities, research showing that most significant health improvements are seen when people who are unfit and sedentary become active.

The Benefits of Exercising Daily

Benefits of exercise include, but aren't limited to:

• Weight loss and building muscles and strong bones
• Increased energy
• Better brain function leading to better work performance and reduced anxiety and depression
• Better sleep - deeper and easier to fall asleep
• Feeling less stressed and being in a better mood
• Fewer aches and pains and better posture
• Better breathing and oxygenation of your tissues
• Better circulation and more effective nutrient delivery into the cells
• Less inflammation and with this prevention of cancer, diabetes, cholesterol, bad blood pressure etc.

Anca Vereen is an Integrative Dietitian and Nutritionist, Psychotherapist and Breathing Coach who specialises in lifestyle medicine, weight loss and mental health.

For more information on exercise please visit the Vic Gov website.