{"id":31979,"date":"2013-05-02T21:08:47","date_gmt":"2013-05-02T21:08:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=31979"},"modified":"2017-04-27T08:12:49","modified_gmt":"2017-04-27T13:12:49","slug":"make-summer-great-for-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Summer Great for your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"iStock_000008601462XSmall\"<\/a>I don\u2019t know about you, but my favorite childhood memories feature summer trips in my parent\u2019s car and hearing that song on the radio about \u201clazy, hazy, crazy days of summer\u201d on repeat. \u00a0Growing up on the east coast of the United States, I certainly remember the \u201chazy\u201d days and I guess sometimes all of the heat and humidity can make you a little \u201ccrazy\u201d, but it never pays to be \u201clazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best part about summertime is the increased daylight hours which means more time for outdoor activities. This makes summer the best time to start getting on a workout schedule to improve your overall health and shed some excess weight. Going outside for a daily jog or bike ride is great but the easiest way to begin is just by simply walking. That\u2019s right, just good old walking! It\u2019s free, you can do it alone or with others, and you can fit it into your daily routine very easily. \u00a0On top of that, Its physiological and psychological benefits are practically endless.<\/p>\n

Good for Walking<\/strong><\/p>\n

Scientists have concluded in countless studies, that, exercise is essential for good health and disease prevention. Walking, if done properly and regularly, can help to prevent Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Cancer and Depression. Looking to shed some extra holiday weight? Walking is essential for both weight control and weight loss.<\/p>\n

How often \u00a0and at what pace you should walk depends on your personal goal. \u00a0For instance, if weight loss is your goal, then you should count on walking everyday. \u00a0If cardiovascular fitness is what you are looking for, then every other day (4 times a week) may be enough for you. \u00a0Obviously, the longer and faster you can go, the more beneficial it will be, but, be careful that you don\u2019t overdo it! \u00a0People that live a more sedentary lifestyle must start slowly and build up gradually. \u00a0It is essential before you begin a walking program that you visit your doctor first for a complete medical evaluation. Once you have your physician\u2019s approval you can begin.<\/p>\n

You are going to want to start at a comfortable pace; walk as though you are slightly late for an appointment. \u00a0You can also use the \u201ctalk test\u201d to see if you are going too fast (If you can\u2019t say your name three times in a row, you are pushing too hard). \u00a0You should aim for a minimum of 3.5 miles per hour, 4.5 mph or more for a more strenuous walk. \u00a0The recommended minimum time for walking is 30-40 minutes, however if you are a beginner, start off slowly and build up to that amount.<\/p>\n

Maintain good posture while you are walking and look straight ahead. \u00a0Swinging your arms will increase your caloric burn greatly, but make sure your arms are going in a forward direction and not crossing in front of you. \u00a0Remember, A good sturdy pair of proper walking shoes is essential to a good workout. You should look to replace your shoes after 400-500 miles of walking. \u00a0If you don\u2019t have proper shoes or your shoes are worn out, you probably will suffer some type of injury in the lower extremities.<\/p>\n

Vitamin D Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the great benefits of outdoor exercising in the summer is that sunshine is the primary source of Vitamin D. \u00a0In recent years, numerous studies have shown that having adequate amounts of Vitamin D in our bodies helps prevent many cancers, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, asthma in children and diabetes. In fact, the latest research seems to connect low levels of Vitamin D with a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis. It also seems Vitamin D can help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, infectious diseases such as the flu and perhaps even mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression.<\/p>\n

The best way to get your dose of Vitamin D is to go into the sun for 20 minutes per day without sunscreen 4 days a week from 9:30 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

All of that being said, remember to use some caution when going out into the sun. Drink plenty of water and make sure to wear adequate amounts of sunblock for prolonged exposure to the sun.<\/p>\n

A little sunshine can go a long, long way!<\/p>\n

Outdoor workouts and vitamin D are great ways to \u201cadd hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"image\"<\/p>\n

Alan Freishtat<\/strong> is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a BEHAVIORAL CHANGE and WELLNESS COACH with over 19 years of professional experience. Alan is the creator and director of the \u201c10 Weeks to Health\u201d program for weight loss. He is available for private coaching sessions, consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs both in his office and by telephone and skype. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at\u00a002-651-8502<\/a> or 050-555-7175<\/a>, or by email at\u00a0alan@alanfitness.com<\/a> Check out the his web site \u2013www.alanfitness.com<\/a> US Line: 516-568-5027<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Outdoor workouts and vitamin D are great ways to add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":469,"featured_media":31981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"yoast_head":"\nMake Summer Great for your Health - OU Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Make Summer Great for your Health - OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Outdoor workouts and vitamin D are great ways to add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OU Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-05-02T21:08:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-04-27T13:12:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/iStock_000008601462XSmall.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"379\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"317\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alan Freishtat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alan Freishtat\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/\",\"name\":\"Make Summer Great for your Health - OU Life\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/iStock_000008601462XSmall.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2013-05-02T21:08:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-04-27T13:12:49+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/#\/schema\/person\/f1abe9e48d32d5a2a473e32020a2317f\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/health\/make-summer-great-for-your-health\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/iStock_000008601462XSmall.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/iStock_000008601462XSmall.jpg\",\"width\":379,\"height\":317},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/\",\"name\":\"OU Life\",\"description\":\"Everyday Jewish Living\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/#\/schema\/person\/f1abe9e48d32d5a2a473e32020a2317f\",\"name\":\"Alan Freishtat\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/Alan-Freishtat_avatar-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/Alan-Freishtat_avatar-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Alan Freishtat\"},\"description\":\"Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. 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