Understand that for most people, the amount of exercise needed to see significant health benefits is quite low; simply doing more than you currently do will be beneficial.
Avoid the ‘all or nothing’ mindset regarding physical activity; any sustainable increase in movement, no matter how small, will provide health benefits.
Make daily movement a priority, as literally anything you can get up and do will be beneficial if you are currently sedentary.
Understand that exercise benefits are a product of intensity multiplied by time; higher intensity allows for shorter duration, while lower intensity requires longer duration for similar benefits.
Actively reduce time spent sitting by incorporating strategies like using a standing desk or taking ‘movement snacks’ (e.g., a quick walk or stairs) once an hour.
Aim to increase daily walking, especially brisk walking, striving for 8,000 to 14,000 steps per day to significantly improve health and reduce mortality and disease risk.
Integrate resistance training into your routine to counteract age-related decreases in muscle mass and strength, which is vital for metabolic health, blood sugar control, stability, and preventing falls.
Broaden your definition of resistance training to include any movement against resistance, such as carrying shopping bags, bodyweight squats, push-ups (even against a wall), yoga, and Pilates.
To ensure continuous benefits from resistance training, progressively challenge yourself by increasing difficulty over time, for example, moving from wall push-ups to floor push-ups.
Do not feel obligated to follow a sequential progression through movement types; instead, start with any physical activity you enjoy and find sustainable.
Target 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity, as per government guidelines, to achieve a statistically significant improvement in cognitive function.
Aim for approximately 700 METs minutes per week of physical activity to achieve a significant improvement in cognitive function.
Select diverse activities like 30 minutes of brisk walking, 20 minutes of Pilates, 30 minutes of resistance training, 5 minutes of sprinting, or an hour of gardening, adjusting duration based on intensity for similar benefits.
Consider incorporating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) as a beneficial addition once you are already performing resistance training and low-level intensity movement, to gain different physiological adaptations.
Perform weight training to voluntary muscular failure (the point where you can’t do more with good form) to achieve cardiovascular benefits comparable to lower-intensity aerobic training.
Be aware that exercise, particularly high-intensity forms, can be a stressor on the body; consider your overall life stress when determining workout intensity to avoid over-taxing your system.
Engage in very long periods of endurance training only if you genuinely enjoy it, as it is not considered essential for general health improvement for most people already meeting other movement goals.
Consider incorporating AG1 daily to support digestion and enrich your gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria.
Utilize the Metabolic Equivalent (MET) system, which can be found via Google, to objectively compare the intensity and overall work of various physical activities.
Recognize that attending a gym provides additional benefits beyond just lifting weights, such as reduced sitting time and increased general movement from walking around.