CDC Recommendations
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists three options that adults can choose from to achieve the level of physical activity needed to improve and maintain physical health. Choice one is 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity combined with muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week. Choice two is 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity combined with muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days a week. Choice three is a mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity combined with muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.
Daily Calculations
- Exercising 150 minutes a week amounts to 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. And if you can’t spare 30 minutes at a time, taking a brisk 10-minute walk three times a day for five days of the week will still equal 150 minutes of moderate-intensive physical activity. Dr. Edward R. Laskowski of Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity every single day.
- Physical Intensity
- Moderately intensive activities include walking briskly, water aerobics, ballroom dancing, gardening, playing doubles tennis or bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour. Vigorously intensive activities include race walking, jogging, running, swimming laps, singles tennis, aerobic dancing, jumping rope and bicycling at least 10 miles per hour. As a general rule, when performing moderately intensive exercises, you can still talk -- but not sing. When you’re performing vigorously intensive exercises, you have to pause to catch your breath between words.
Muscle-Strengthening Exercises
- Although the CDC lists no specific time requirements for muscle-strengthening sessions, these exercises should be performed until it is hard to continue. You can lift weights or perform other strength-building exercises, including resistance exercises such as pushups and situps, yoga, working with resistance bands and heavy gardening activities such as digging and shoveling.
Sneaking In More Exercise
- To incorporate exercise into your daily routine, FamilyDoctor.org suggests taking the stairs instead of getting on the elevator, walking all or part of the way to work, and going for a walk during lunch or coffee breaks. Also, consider changing your routine to avoid boredom. For example, walk one day and bike the next day, or vacuum one day and mow the lawn the next day.
