Cardio and Strength Training are Essential for Vitality and Longevity

We all know that regular exercise is essential for long term health and vitality, but often we get too focused on short term goals of exercising to ‘get fit’ or ‘lose weight’.  What if instead you were to focus your exercise program on creating more energy and vitality in your life and using regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle to live not just a longer life, but a more active and happier life along the way.  

Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep, our response to stress, blood sugar levels, decreased inflammation, improved mental health (more balanced brain chemistry).  We can also use exercise to create more social connection by joining sports teams or planning our exercise with friends.  

There are 3 particular types of exercise that have been scientifically shown to improve your overall health and wellbeing. 

Cardiovascular Training

Cardio training includes any exercise which raises your heart rate over an extended period of time. Research has shown that long slow exercise in Zone 2 is very important for many aspects of health and has been shown to be the most effective for maintaining a healthy weight.

Walking most days has also been linked to improved mental health with several studies showing daily walking is more effective than medication for depression and anxiety.

Zone 2 = 60-70% of your max heart rate. Max HR is calculated by 220 - your age. ie: a 40yo has a max HR of 180, so their Zone 2 is 108-126 beats per minute.

High Intensity Training

Research has shown that intense exercise which pushes you to your maximum heart rate is beneficial for your health.

This high intensity exercise only needs to be done once or twice a week.

Strength Training

Lifting heavy weights 1-3 times a week helps to maintain muscle mass as we age. This has been linked to better metabolism, decreased falls risks and better bone strength as we age.

A Balanced Exercise Program

By creating a weekly exercise program that combines strength training 1-3 times a week, a high intensity session to max your HR once a week and Zone 2 training most of the other days, you are setting yourself up to not just maximise your lifespan, but also your healthspan.