It’s a common misconception that low-impact exercise won’t do anything to aid in weight management. In fact, many people believe that weight can only be lost or maintained through a rigorous exercise routine which burns large amounts of calories and builds extra muscle.
The Overlooked Truth about Low-impact Exercise
But for people struggling with excess weight or obesity, this isn’t always easy. Oftentimes, exercise of that caliber is either difficult or impossible to attain. Not everyone’s bodies are capable of achieving the same kind of physical activity when they are at different stages of the weight management journey. Plus, range of movement may be limited, making it challenging to perform specific physical tasks.
Other people, on the other hand, may be in the process of recovering from an injury or other health condition. In these cases, strenuous exercise is also difficult or impossible to attain. If given the opportunity to move, many individuals are often recommended low-impact activity by their healthcare provider to assist with muscle re-growth, circulation, etc. In these scenarios, exercise usually serves many different purposes – not just for the sake of weight-loss or weight maintenance.
No matter your reason, low-impact exercise is particularly useful in a number of ways:
- Assisting with weight and fat-loss
- Reducing stress on muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments
- Increasing flexibility
- Building strength and endurance
- Increasing cardiovascular health
- And more!
Making the Most of Low-impact Exercise
If you can’t or don’t want to do high-impact exercises, or you’re simply looking for physical activity to break up your usual routine, you have plenty of different alternatives available to you. Here a few great ways to incorporate low-impact exercise into your weight management plan and have fun with your workouts.
- Go for a walk around your neighborhood
- Enjoy a relaxing nature hike
- Try Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi
- Go swimming
- Participate in water aerobics
- Enjoy a game of golf
- Try rowing or kayaking
- Reach new heights with rock climbing
Do you have your own suggestions for fun, low-impact workouts? Email mstep@obesityaction.org to submit them and share the fun with others!
