3 Best Types Of Exercise For Sedentary People

Sedentary people tend to spend too much time sitting and are generally inactive. This results in many sedentary people being either overweight or obese. Two-thirds of Americans fall into these two categories.

To lose weight, two things must happen. First, eat a healthy low-calorie diet and second, exercise. But exercise for sedentary people must start at a moderate level to avoid injury and over-exhaustion.

The best exercises are mix of cardio to burn calories and reduce body fat and strength building to build muscle and keep an increased burn of calories in the future.

Free Download: 6 Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle

3 Best Types of Exercise for Sedentary People

1. Cardio

Overweight people generally have bad knees so high-impact exercises like running, tennis, etc. are usually not good choices. Instead focus on low impact sports like cycling, elliptical trainer and swimming. Set a goal of 150 minutes per week of cardio training at a moderate level. However when first starting out, do what you can until you are tired. Increase the number of minutes of activity each week as you grow stronger until at goal.

If you exercise five days per week, that’s 30 minutes each day. This is the minimum amount recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Even three 10-minutes sessions per day count the same as one 30-minute session, so work it into your day the best way that fits your schedule.

2. Strength Building

While cardio burns calories, strength building builds muscle. It is an important exercise for sedentary people because not only does it help prevent osteoporosis, but strength training also helps rebuild joint stability by strengthening the stabilizing supporting muscles.

Start out with two sessions per week targeting the larger muscle groups both in the upper and lower body, such as the shoulders, arms, abs, back and legs. By working the large muscle groups, you get more “bang for your buck” for the time you invest.

As you get stronger, add in more sets and repetitions per set until you are doing three sets of 12 to 15 reps per exercise. Just make sure not to exercise the same muscle groups two days in a row.

3. Interval Training

Interval training is a workout on steroids. Called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), it’s not a starter exercise for sedentary people and is something that must be worked up to do. The way it works is you do an exercise at an intensity that is as fast as you can manage for 30 seconds. Then lower the intensity down to moderate or less for twice that time … so for 1 minute. Then go as fast as you can again for 30 seconds. Continue this exercise cycle for as you can.

Don’t be surprised if you’re totally spent in less than 10 minutes. Try to work up to longer times both at the high and low intensity phases, keeping the same 1:2 ratio.

Interval training can be applied to both cardio and strength training workout routines and is one of the best ways to get the maximum calorie burn in the shortest amount of time.

By doing cardio and strength building at a normal intensity level, and working up to interval training as you get stronger, you can continue working off the weight and firming up muscles. Just be sure to eat a healthy diet that supports your workout schedule – complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats.

The Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle

It’s probably not coming as any big news flash to you that exercise and smart nutrition combine for an unbeatable system of health, vitality and wellness in both mind and body, from head to toe. Besides, if you live to be 70 or 80, but the last 40 years of your life are plagued by health problems because you decided you would rather sit and lounge your way through life rather than being active, is that really living?

Check out these 6 serious health risks directly related to a sedentary lifestyle and you might just have enough motivation to get up and get moving every day.