There is so much information about exercise or movement, as I like to call it. Before the industrial age, no one had to think about exercise or work it into their schedule. The activities of living required many different motions throughout each day. Farmers and their families were always busy in the fields or taking care of the animals. People walked, rode a horse or traveled in a wagon. Every family had a garden that needed tending and meals were prepared at home. There was always something to do. 

The human being is not created to sit for long periods of time. Our bodies are meant to be in motion. Consider the many and varied beautiful legs on each human being. These legs are strong, powerful, bending, flexible and put together in order to perform a variety of motions. 

It is easy to get confused about what type of exercise to do and how to perform it. It seems every expert has a different opinion. On top of that, there are different forms of one type of exercise. Take yoga for example. There is Hatha, Kundalini, Hot yoga, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Bikram, just to name a few. 

I have tried many different exercise routines throughout my life. I spent several years running. I lifted weights. I practiced different types of yoga. I went hiking and walking, and even did some cycling. The bottom line is, if you don’t enjoy it, most likely you aren’t going to do it. Try them out until you find what you enjoy and you are more likely to stick with it.

There is no one size fits all. Every body is different. Some people are early risers and some people prefer to sleep later. Some are more active in the morning and some in the evening. Some bodies require more exercise and some require less. No one knows your body as well as you do. Schedule in your times for movement at different times of the day and see how you feel before and after the session. In this way you can determine what time of day works best for you. 

 There are many different recommendations about how much, how often, and how long you should exercise each week. The most common recommendation is a minimum of 30 minutes at least 3 times a week. Listen to your body. You may feel better with longer periods of movement twice a week or shorter periods of movement every day. Perhaps you may prefer 30 minutes every day, or 30 minutes twice a week along with 90 minutes once a week. Consistency is important.

Of all the types of movement, walking is still considered to best exercise to get. Almost anybody can do it. It is easy to do and you can do it anywhere. It does not require special equipment or going to the gym. Studies have shown that walking just 20 minutes three times a week has benefit, including relief of depression, feeling uplifted and better sleep, just to name a few. So, get moving..and enjoy!