Maintaining your health is a simple way to improve your quality of life and your bank account, especially when it comes to finding an affordable life insurance rate.
The federal government issued guidelines in 2008 to help improve the health of Americans aged six and up. These guidelines are intended to assist you in understanding the health benefits of physical activity, learning how to properly execute these activities, and encouraging others to participate.
Adults should engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week, according to the guidelines. Those looking to improve their health can increase their moderate-intensity exercise — running, bicycling, or swimming — to 300 minutes per week.
It is also recommended that muscle-strengthening activities such as squats, abdominal exercises, or bench-press be performed at a moderate to high intensity at least twice a week. These activities will improve muscle strength and flexibility, which will help you avoid injuries in the future.
According to these guidelines, people who live healthy, active lives are less likely to be obese, can perform tasks or behaviors at a higher intensity, have a significantly lower risk of various cancers, and have better mental health than those who do not.
However, according to a USA Today article, most Americans either fail to meet these basic guidelines or meet them but see little to no improvement. According to the article, a moderate exercise routine was insufficient to cause any significant change in one’s body weight.
A similar conclusion was reached in a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The researchers discovered that women who did not diet would need to perform 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day to avoid weight gain after tracking 34,000 women for 13 years. This exercise regimen was only effective for women with normal BMIs (less than 25), while those with higher BMIs gained more weight.
If a healthier lifestyle is desired, it is best to maintain a balanced diet as well as a consistent exercise routine based on body mass index. Combining the two will increase one’s life expectancy and ensure an affordable life insurance rate.