Daily Exercises for Women: The 5 You Need to Do

You know you should be active every day. But, which daily exercises for women are best?

Getting older doesn’t have to be an excuse to get out of shape.

In fact, after age 40 it is crucial to take control of your fitness and reduce your risk for chronic health issues.

As women age, muscle mass begins to decrease, a process known as sarcopenia.

While this is a normal occurrence, it does lead to other issues such as increased body fat and a slower metabolism.

This, in turn, leads to weight gain and an increased risk of developing chronic health issues like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even certain types of cancers.

One way to avoid those issues? Daily exercises for women. Keep reading to learn the ones you should be doing.

Want even more great exercises and workouts? Check out our blog and YouTube Channel!

Exercise Daily to Prevent Common Health Issues

Luckily, with regular exercise and healthy eating habits, you can slow muscle loss, improve your body composition, and decrease your risk for these chronic diseases.

Physical activity reduces chronic disease risk through its impact on hormones like insulin and cortisol.

Plus, exercise indirectly improves your health by helping you maintain a healthy weight.

You don’t have to spend hours at the gym to enhance your long term health.

Here are some of the ultimate daily exercises for women that will have you looking and feeling great while also reducing the risk of chronic health issues.

The Top 5 Daily Exercises for Women

1. Walking

Walking is one of the top exercises to get in shape and improve your overall health.

The great thing about walking is that it requires minimal equipment. All you really need is a good pair of shoes!

Walking is easy on your joints, so it’s perfect even if you have issues with knee pain or arthritis.

When the weather is nice, you can enjoy the outdoors while getting in your steps.

Plus you can make set up a walking group with friends which can make this activity a fun social engagement as well

But even during bad weather you can move your workout inside to a treadmill or indoor track and get the same amazing health benefits.

With a treadmill, you can also adjust the incline to give you even more of an aerobic challenge.

Watch this video to learn about all of the research-proven walking benefits!

 

2. Swimming

Another great activity that is also gentle on your joints is swimming.

Pool exercises include both lap swimming and water aerobics.

Both of these activities provide fitness benefits and reduce your risk of chronic health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Lap swimming builds upper body and core strength while also improving your endurance.

If you are new to swimming, many pools offer swim lessons to help get you started and learn the proper form and breathing techniques.

Water aerobics also provides an excellent workout if you don’t want to start out with lap swimming, but still want an exercise that won’t pound on your joints.

Aqua jogging, or basically running in a shallow pool is another way to improve your cardiovascular health and muscular strength.

Ready to try swimming for weight loss? Here's what you need to know to get started.

3. Running/Jogging

If you want a great cardiovascular workout that will build your lower body and core strength, then jogging or running is a great option.

It has similar health benefits to walking, however, because of the increased intensity, you will also build up high levels of endurance.

This translates into improved cardiovascular fitness.

Even though running is more intense than walking, you don’t have to sprint hard intervals or run 20 miles to reduce your risk of chronic diseases.

A study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that running, even just 5 to 10 minutes a day and at slow speeds, was associated with markedly reduced risks of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease.

Want some great cardio workouts you can do at home? Check this video out!

 

4. Biking

Bike riding improves endurance and strength and is also a fun exercise that you can do outdoors.

You can mix it up with leisurely rides or add in speed or hill sessions to up the intensity and improve your strength and endurance.

Commuting to work by biking has also been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.

While not everyone has this option, it’s something to think about if you live close to work and want to add in some daily exercise.

This video will help you create your own home workout plan for weight loss and toning!

 

5. Resistance Training

Since muscle mass begins to decline as we age, strength training is essential to maintain and build lean body mass.

This not only will keep you functionally strong, but it will also increase your metabolism and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Resistance training also makes your muscles more responsive to hormones like insulin, which is why this is a great activity to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Research has found that women that engage in resistance training are able to lower their blood sugar and insulin levels, even if they have long-standing diabetes.

You don’t have to lift heavy weights to enjoy the health rewards resistance training.

Bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, light dumbbells, and TRX bands will all give you great strength training benefits.

Gym classes and at home workouts that employ bodyweight and resistance band movements are other ways to combine both aerobic and strength exercises.

When combining these activities you will further reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

This full-body resistance band workout will help you stay fit at home!

 

Fit And Healthy After 40

It can be tough sometimes to balance work and home responsibilities with your personal fitness.

However, the risk of chronic diseases increases as we age, so this is the most important time to make health a priority.

Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain types of cancer become more prevalent in women over 40.

These diseases not only can affect your lifespan but also decrease your overall quality of life.

Luckily, regular exercise and healthy eating can reduce the risk of developing these diseases and can also aid in their treatment.

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to find exercises and activities that you actually enjoy.

For example, if you absolutely hate running, then there is no way that you will want to continue this on a regular basis.

And consistency is key if you want to improve your overall health and fitness.

So find some resistance classes you enjoy, and maybe throw in some walking or biking sessions to add in some aerobic fitness.

No matter what you choose, if you are committed to your goals, you can be in the best shape of your life, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, even after 40.

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on daily exercises for women.