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How Much Activity Is Enough for Health and Well-Being?By James M. Rippe, M.D.
Our bodies are designed to be in motion. If physical activity could be bottled as a pill, it would be the most prescribed “medicine” ever. Being active helps promote well-being, helps preserve cognitive function as you age, and even enhances prevention of diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Activity helps maintain strong bones, muscles, and joints, and helps enhance your ability to carry out life’s activities. Regular activity also helps maintain metabolism and a healthy weight.
But how much activity do you need to realize these benefits? The answer may be simpler than you think. The moment you start moving regularly, you start gaining positive results. The more active you are, the greater the advantage for health and balance. Here’s information to help you judge what level of activity is right for you.
The basics: Accumulate 30 minutes of moderate activity daily.
Being active begins with accumulating moderate activity throughout your day. The core goal is to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week. Blocks of 10 minutes are most effective. Walking the dog, playing with the kids outdoors, taking a brisk 10-minute walk at lunch, or climbing the stairs are all examples of brief, moderate activities. Research shows that this daily level of activity helps you achieve many of the health and well-being benefits noted above.
For better balance: Follow a regular aerobic activity program three to five days a week.
Aerobic activity, also called cardio activity, involves the repetitive use of the large muscles in the body. It increases the fitness of many body systems, thus helping protect against disease. Our Balanced Life Walking Program lets you accumulate regular activity and build aerobic fitness. It starts with a 10-minute walk and builds until you are walking for at least 30 minutes on three to five days weekly. If you do only one planned activity, make it aerobic. For variety, alternate activities—choose from swimming, cycling, water aerobics, aerobic dance, and more.
To enhance functional fitness: Add strength training and/or flexibility training.
Strength training, such as calisthenics or weight lifting, builds strong muscles and lean muscle mass. The Balanced Strength Training Program can be performed at home or the gym. Because lean muscle tissue is the body’s metabolic engine, strength training helps you manage your weight.
Staying flexible maintains range of motion for all parts of your body; it helps prevent injuries and falls by improving balance. Plus, the time spent doing flexibility exercises can enhance mind-body connections and relieve stress. In addition to our Balanced Life Flexibility Program, activities such as yoga or Pilates boost flexibility and well-being.
So how much activity is enough? The choice is up to you. But remember the baseline for health and balance is 30 minutes of moderate activity daily. The Balanced Life Walking Program fits the bill.
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Start Making Choices does not provide medical advice.
Information is intended for educational purposes only. See additional information.
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