Regular physical activity is one of the best things you, and your employees, can do for your health. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exercise can boost brain health, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and help you manage weight. Yet, despite the benefits of regular exercise, many Americans don’t get sufficient exercise or any at all.
A recent study by fitness equipment wholesaler Gymless found that 39.4% of Americans never work out. For many Americans, this problem is exacerbated by work. Research published by PubMed Central showed that more than 80% of jobs in the U.S. involve mostly sedentary activities, such as sitting and typing. Although sitting is a natural position, too much sitting has been shown to increase the risk of obesity, high cholesterol, stroke and heart disease.
Getting insufficient exercise is a vicious cycle that can be challenging to break, and many adults struggle to get new exercise routines off the ground. Fortunately, it’s never too late to help your employees start an exercise routine that can dramatically improve their mental and physical health. This fitness guide provides your employees with tips on how to overcome reasons not to exercise, select exercise options that they’ll want to keep doing, and build a routine.
How Can a Fitness Guide Help Employees?
The Value of Exercise: This guide describes how physical exercise directly impacts the overall well-being of your employees, including benefits to
- Brain (improved memory, cognition, brain function, and quality of sleep)
- Body (decreased risk of chronic conditions, certain cancers, and weight gain; improved heart health, lung health, cholesterol, blood pressure, bone strength, balance, and coordination)
- Mood (reduced risk of depression and anxiety; improved emotional well-being and quality of life)
Common Barriers to Exercise: This guide offers employees with solutions to overcome the internal and external reasons why they aren’t exercising regularly. It can also help you as the employer identify these barriers if you want to find ways to provide support to your employees.
- Internal – Not enough energy, lack of motivation, disliking exercise, not enough time, fear of being judged, lack of support, inability to self-manage.
- External – Lack of nearby facilities, cost of gym membership or equipment, illness or injury, inadequate transportation, childcare concerns, inaccessibility of outdoor options.
Types of Exercise: Use this guide to provide your employees with an overview of common exercises they can try to achieve their fitness goals. Many of these exercises are simple and employees can do them at home.
- Aerobic, Walking, Jogging, Biking, Dancing, Jumping Rope, Sports, Stretching, High-Intensity Interval Training, Calisthenics, Boot Camp, Resistance Training
Building an Exercise Routine: Use this guide to provide your employees with guidance on creating an exercise routing they’ll want to keep doing, with tips for motivation and proper planning.
- Step 1: Consult Physician
- Step 2: Start Small
- Step 3: Picking Exercises to Exceed At
- Step 4: Be Prepared for Soreness
- Step 4: Build Habits (Employees can even build exercise into their work routine. Walking or biking to work is an excellent way to fit exercise into their schedule. If the distance is unrealistic, they can consider alternative ways to take extra steps during the day, like parking their vehicle far from the office or taking a lunchtime walk).
Summary
Mental and physical health has become a central concern for employers and employees alike in recent years, so it is important to provide your employees with resources that can help them live a more healthful life. Use this fitness guide to provide your employees with tips and practices to help them incorporate physical activity into their daily life, overcome excuses, and start a regular fitness routine. There are even printable resources that you can distribute to your employees to help them incorporate new fitness activities into their routine:
- Shape Up with Strength Training
- 3 Parts of an Exercise Program
- Take the 20-minute Fitness Challenge
- 6 Tips for Adding Walking to Your Routine
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