Everyone on social media is going to fancy gyms, doing expensive Pilates classes and buying Pelotons for their homes, but you don’t have to spend anything to stay fit.
A naturopathic doctor has recommended one simple exercise you can do at home to build muscle and you only need one thing – your dog!
Exercise you can do with your dog
Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary Of A CEO podcast, Dr. Tyna Moore said: “Just squat with your dog!”
She was speaking about people losing muscle as they age, and said this can easily be avoided by doing simple exercises at home.
The doctor explained that her 24-year-old daughter recently asked what she can start doing to ensure she remains healthy in her older life.
“Just pick up your dog. She’s got two different dogs that are two different sizes. I’m like just do squats with your dog,” she said.
“Start doing push-ups off the side of your couch, you can do this at home. There are so many opportunities online now.”
She claimed people simply need to “put in the time” to research what they can do at home as there are so many free guides and tutorials out there.
Everyone should do these 3 things
Moore went on to say everyone should do strength training “a couple of times” a week, and that doesn’t have to be lifting weights. She suggested filling up water jugs and walking around your room with them, or picking up your cat and doing some squats.
She also highlighted the importance of prioritizing protein in your diet and making sure the food you choose to put in your mouth is “nutritionally dense” by eating whole foods that are brightly colored and rich in vitamins and minerals.
The natural doctor also said all adults should go for three 10-minute walks around the block every day. Ideally, once in the morning, again at noon and a third time in the late afternoon to get all the different kinds of sunlight.
Physical activity guidelines
The NHS says all adults aged 19 to 64 should do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) at least two times per week.
You should also do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity.
Spread exercise evenly over four to five days a week and reduce time spent sitting or lying down while also breaking up long periods of not moving with some activity.
Dr. Tyna Moore is a naturopathic physician and expert in holistic regenerative medicine who graduated from the National University of Natural Medicine.
