How vigorously and how often you’re supposed to exercise are some of the most misunderstood metrics when it comes to personal well-being. Here are some exercise recommendations from the experts.
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Exercise Recommendations according to the experts
American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults aged 18-65 years participate in
- moderate intensity exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 5 times a week;
- vigorous intensity exercise at least 20 minutes per day, 3 days a week; or
- a combination of the above.
According to the 2018 Physical Activity guidelines for Americans, adults should participate in
- moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 150-300 minutes per week;
- 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise; or
- a combination of moderate-vigorous intensity exercise.
For busy people, exercising for 10 minutes at least three times a day is also beneficial. This method would also be useful for those who can’t exercise for long periods of time at a stretch. In fact, moderate to vigorous exercise of any duration contributes to health benefits.
Adults should also perform muscle building exercises that involve all the major muscle groups 2 or more days a week.
If you can, don’t be afraid to go beyond the minimum! There is a dose-response relationship, which basically means that you will benefit more with more time/intensity. Just don’t overdo it! Listen to your body.
Balance training recommendations
In addition to aerobic and muscle building activities, balance training is very beneficial for older people. As we age, we lose muscle mass and cognition, so we need to work on building and maintaining balance.
Limitations
Not everyone can exercise for as much as is recommended, due to certain chronic conditions. For those of us who are more limited, it is recommended to be as physically active as possible. Check out my post about the Benefits and Risks of Exercise.
Get active
- Receive guidance from a health professional
- Build a buddy system or join an exercise/walking group
- Use technology—virtual coaching, wearable activity monitors (like Fitbit), smartphone apps, etc.
So friends, take these exercise recommendations to heart—let’s get moving and feeling well!
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Check out my post about Exercise Safety Tips.
Source: ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 10th Edition
“Journey to Health with Priya” provides general educational information on various topics on this website as a public service, which should not be construed as professional medical advice.