Guidelines for Physical Activity
PART 2 IN OUR SERIES ON
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Nothing has as many beneficial effects on health as exercise. New health
products are developed every day, each claiming to be the one that will change
your life. But the best thing for your health does not remain to be discovered;
for most of us, it simply remains to be put into full use.
Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure
and osteoporosis. It also helps treat depression and insomnia. It has been shown
to increase energy and to fight fatigue. Along with a healthy diet, it is the most
effective way to avoid or treat obesity.
As your body ages, the beneficial effects of exercise become even more dramatic.
Regular exercise is strongly linked with decreased mortality in the elderly.
How much exercise do you need
to reap these benefits?
Although this is hard to quantify, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recommends the following minimum amounts of activity each week for adults:
- At least 2 and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking), or
- At least 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (such as running), or
- An equivalent mix of moderate and vigorous activity
- In addition, do muscle-strengthening exercises on 2 or more days per week.
These guidelines apply to adults of all ages. Exercising more than this increases
the benefits. On the following page are some tips to help you work toward
meeting these guidelines. For an overview of children's guidelines for activity,
see our other article on this subject.
Every little bit helps.
If you struggle to fit regular exercise into your already over-packed schedule,
remember that any exercise is better than none, and even 10-minute
increments can help.
Start slowly.
According to the CDC, heart events are rare during exercise, but the risks
do go up if you suddenly become much more active than usual. So if you're
not usually very active, start slowly, and gradually increase the duration and
intensity of your activity.
Too tired? Remember: Exercise increases energy.
If you feel too tired to exercise regularly, I urge you to remember that exercise
improves energy and decreases fatigue and insomnia. Sleeping a few minutes
less in the morning to get in some regular morning exercise is likely to give
you more energy throughout the day and more restorative sleep at night.
Have a chronic health condition? Talk to your doctor first.
If you have heart disease, arthritis, diabetes or another chronic condition, get
your doctor's advice before starting a new exercise program. If your condition
makes it difficult for you to meet the CDC guidelines for activity, just try to do
as much as you can. Even 10 or 15 minutes of moderate activity a day is better
than being completely inactive.
Get out, or get in - just get going.
Here in the great Northwest, you can bike around town, hike in the mountains,
ski and snowboard in the winter, surf and windsurf in the summer, and choose
from a multitude of indoor gyms, yoga studios and pools when it's raining. So
get out and get active! Nothing is better for your mental and physical health.
VIEW THE COMPLETE GUIDELINES AT:
WWW.CDC.GOV/PHYSICALACTIVITY/EVERYONE/GUIDELINES/INDEX.HTML
