Activity / Healthy Mind

How Much Exercise Do I Really Need?

br target@targetwholeness.com   /   Sep 26, 2017

How Much Exercise Do I Really Need?

We’ve all been told, over and over again, that the key to living healthy lives (or at least one of the keys) is to maintain an active lifestyle.   But what does that mean? Most days I feel like so much happened- between work, family and other obligations- that I can’t imagine that my day wasn’t active- I’m certainly tired enough at the end of it.   But apparently that isn’t what the health field means by ‘active’ at all.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (brisk walking, for example, or other exercise where you can still converse while doing the activity, but not sing) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise ( jogging, running, or other exercise where it is difficult to carry on a conversation while doing the activity). They also recommend at least two sessions a week of total body strength training- either calisthenics (push ups, lunges, etc) or resistance training with bands or weight machines or free weights.

What will all this activity get you? Well, actually, many benefits- decreased risk of heart attack and stroke, decreased risk of memory loss as you age, decreased risk of certain cancers, decreased risk of osteoporosis ( brittle bones). Not to mention the increased likelihood of being able to do what you want to do for a longer part of your lifespan- increased activity has been shown to decrease the frailty that can come with aging.

So have at it. Pick an activity you like to do, and get active. The benefits are certainly worth the time you’ll put into it.