“Losing as little as 3%-5% of our weight can improve our health significantly” says professor Melinda Manore who studies the impact of nutrition and exercise on total body health. “Small changes in eating and physical activity can result in big benefits.” New guidelines suggest that 150 minutes of physical activity per week are needed to maintain weight,and more if you want to lose weight. “Decide what exercise you enjoy, find a buddy, start with a plan you can expand,” she suggests.
Being more active can increase muscle mass and strength, maintain bone health, and improve joint function, energy and sleep.
Regular exercise reduces risk of depression, hip fracture, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Along with your exercise, remember these nutrition tips.
-Eat breakfast
-Eat whole grains as often as possible
-Eat more fruits and vegetables – keep them on hand and in sight!
-Eat high quality protein after exercise – yogurt, milk, bananas, peanut butter, cheese, soy