Weight Loss Tip: Get Active and Lose Weight!

According to the US Department for Health and Human Services (HHS), only 5% of Americans get the recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day. 30 minutes of exercise can be anything from brisk walking to swimming to strength training. Exercise is not only important if you are trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss, it helps prevent certain diseases like diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Aerobic exercise, like running, jogging or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have been shown to increase memory, thinking skills and decrease one’s risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. Research has shown that this type of exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain linked to memory and learning. This research concluded that walking briskly for at least 1 hour a week can increase memory function. Household activities, like active mopping, vacuuming, leaf raking or gardening also count as aerobic exercise and can help increase your memory function. If you want to try something more intense, try this 24-minute HIIT workout you can do right in your living room! Dr. Pacholec can help you set your exercise goals and track them using our new mobile app, Pacholec MD, which is available to all of our current and new patients from both our Lutz, FL and St. Petersburg, FL locations. In addition to weight loss, exercise also helps to lift your mood, benefits sleep, and lowers blood pressure, so stop making excuses, and get active today!