How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

Exercise takes effort but if you start small, it wont be as hard and you may start to feel so great, you wont want to quit.

According to Dr. Oz in 'YOU on a Diet', the minimum amount of activity you should do in a day is 30 minutes. If you are not yet able to achieve that level, start slow and build up. Remember, something is much better than nothing. Even 15 minutes, twice per day can add years to your life and well being. Beginning at a slow pace will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body.

So, do the best you can but don't over-do it. Remember, this is not a race or a contest. You are learning to develop habits that will sustain you for a lifetime of good health.

Do yourself a favor: Build up slowly. If you haven't exercised for several years, begin by walking 5 minutes a day. Yes, 5 minutes a day. Add 2 - 3 minutes each week. This conservative approach will reward you in the long run.

If you are at all concerned about how much to exercise, check with your doctor. He or she can offer suggestions about which type of program would be best for you.

The Three Types of Exercise

There are three areas of exercise you need to do to promote a long and healthy life. They are:

1. Aerobics

Aerobics conditions the cardiovascular system and improves endurance. This is where you are going to see benefits in your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, ability to breathe, and stamina. Most experts believe that to achieve the benefits to your cardio-vascular system, you need to do aerobic exercise 3-5 times per week for a duration of 20-60 minutes at 60-90% of age specific maximal heart rate or 50-85%.

How do I determine my target heart rate?

The general formula for the average person is 220 age X 60% and X 90% of HRmax. For example, a 30 year old would calculate his target zone using the above formula: 220-30=190. 190x.60=114 and 190x.90=171. This individual would try to keep his heart rate between 114 (low end) and 171 (high end) beats per minute. If you are taking beta blockers for hypertension, it will be harder to get your heart rate this high. Use your sense of how you feel, instead. If you are exerting yourself, great, but dont push it.

Note: You don't need to run or jog to get a good aerobic work out.

If you have lower body problems, you can do aerobic exercise just by using your arms. Raise your arms above your heart level and wave them around to music for 20 minutes. Use some light weights.

2. Strength Training

Calisthenics, yoga, and light weight lifting increase muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass does some terrific things for you:

1. Your metabolism will increase, so you will burn fat faster.

2. Your bone density will improve so your skeleton can support your body appropriately.

3. Your posture will improve, so you can support your internal organs better.

4. Your abdomen will look thinner, you will look taller, you will walk with more grace, and you will feel better about your body.

Here's the biggest reason why you need strength training:

If you are sedentary, after age 35-40, you will lose 1 pound of muscle a year and gain 1.5 pounds of fat. At rest, a pound of muscle burns 32 calories a day. A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. Each year you lose muscle and replace it with fat, your metabolic rate (how quickly you burn calories) slows.

You can reverse this trend by including strength building exercise in your routine, e.g. 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. The older you are, the more important strength building exercise becomes.

3. Stretching

Stretching limbers muscles and lubricates joints. Many of us will exercise and then not stretch. This adversely affects the ability of our body to respond to wear and tear and increases the likelihood of joint sprains and pains.

Stretching cues strained or damaged muscle tissue to repair normally. Without stretching, muscles repair by laying down a tangled mass of scar tissue, which over time reduces flexibility and range of motion.

Agility exercises, such as standing on one leg or walking across a log, fine tune balance and coordination.

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