Why does it always have to be "The Best"? Most people would benefit from at least doing something, no matter what. All this obsession with finding the best causes a lot of people to do nothing instead.
If you want to find an "optimal" exercise, you'll need to specify a function you're trying to minimize. Might be time to run a marathon, or time to swim a mile in the ocean, or some blend of performance/hours_invested.
Of course, some people do this, e.g., folks trying to win Boston, etc. And even here, where the goal is clear cut, the absolute best approach is not at all obvious.
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It focuses on things you can do something about like getting started in time.
At the same time it is easy to read so I actually finished it.
Rinse and repeat. (Eventually you'll build up enough skill to be able to do something unique, or a mashup, yourself.)
Plus--everyone is physically different. I'm about forty pounds over weight. At this point, I honestly don't know what fat, and muscle. And don't care.
I briskly walk for 30-45 minutes nightly. I have a route that includes a hill. I do sweat. I figure I'm carrying around a sack of flour, so I don't need to push it too hard.
When I get home, my depression lifts. I drink less. I'm less anxious.
I definetly use that brisk walk as a a drug. If your fat, like myself, you don't need to go all out. Your legs are most likely stronger than skinny people--from carrying around that sack of potatoes.
Oh yea, my dad was an electrician. He definetly got exercise at work. It was only when he retired did he need to do a little bit of exercise. He didn't. He just drank. He died too early.
My laboring point is you don't need to exercise to extremes in order to feel a bit better, lower blood glocose, and lower blood pressure. A moderately fat guy can be healthy.
Doctors just look at you physically, and make generalizations. Kinda--like the rest of the world!
Overselling a bit there. I've never felt anything I'd qualify as euphoria from exercising. The closest is the runners high which is, for me at least, really not that high.
I know the runners' high too, the runners' crave also. And long walks (forest + small hills) does something a bit different because it's a low intensity effort. Yet after 40+min you can go from depressed to a thin and constant "life is beautiful" background emotional state. That's all.
All in all the takeaway point is: doing something stupidly simple for long can change your mood quite surprisingly.
May I add that when my cardio vascular system was fubared, this kind of walks (moderate uphill) was the only thing that could interact with my body the right way. Being almost bed ridden, but an ex athlete I tried running, jogging, biking, indoor biking, taichi, stepping. They were either too demanding and injuring (for my very weak self) or of low efficacy. Yet walking had the right rhythm, full body muscle use, right intensity to circulate blood everywhere. You can guess how good it is to finally feel warm blood reaching your fingers or toes. It also helps your breathing, lungs ..