A hearty heart!

Opinion

Shlomo Fishman

Capital Recreation is in business to make recreation accessible to all. I am not here to tell you the what, the who, and the when. I am here to support and encourage your positive behaviors. I am a Certified Recreational Therapist (CTRS) breaking down barriers to leisure and recreation participation. This blog is here as a tool to spread my personal thoughts and ideas. But most of all, to create community!

February is heart health month. It is commonly known, that as humans we are just too sedentary. There is a wide swath of evidence to demonstrate the many positive things we should be doing today to ensure health and longevity. We all know the positive effects of aerobic exercise, mindful breathing, and weight training have on our heart. With a strong heart we can pump blood more easily throughout our body, think more clearly, and reduce our chances of many chronic health-related issues such as diabetes and hypertension. From my personal and lived experiences, I have seen the good, bad, and ugly. I am not here to scare you. I am here to shed light on why we should all include some form of aerobic activity every single day. It need not to be strenuous. Movement is movement. No need to make it confusing or complex. Keep it simple. Use the tools you gained from the last three postings on Habit – Routine – Lifestyle.

Okay, I’m ready! What do I need to be doing? All you need is 30 minutes. If you are starting out and have not been physically active for 6 months or more, start with 3 x 10 minutes of aerobic activity. Ten in the morning, mid-day, and evening. If you are already active, aim for 30 minutes of continuous steady to moderate activity. This could be done all in one dose, or broken down to, 2 x 15 minutes. If you are already moderately active (3x or more per-week), aim to push your personal boundaries by 1%. No need to go extra crazy, injure, or burn yourself out. The goal for each one of us – is to get the heart pumping. If you are feeling light-headed or dizzy, stop! You are going to hard and slow down. Find your zone and go!

I love hearing from you! Share your routines and goals using the hashtag #shlomotrained or comment below.

Until next time – peace, and virtual fist bump going your way!