Exercise - It Does a Body Good

Two years ago, the federal government weighed in on exercise by creating the Physical Activities Guidelines for Americans. But who is going to nudge Americans when it comes to following those guidelines? It should be physicians and other healthcare providers, states a recent article in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

So what is your doctor likely to tell you if you're a relatively healthy midlife adult? The authors of the article sum it up:

• Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or an equivalent combination of the two per week. If youre going to break up your aerobic activity, do it in bouts of at least 10 minutes.
• If you want even greater health benefits, bump it up to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, 150 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of the two.
• Do moderate or high intensity muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week. Make sure you hit all the major muscle groups.

If that doesnt get you into the gym, perhaps some of these conclusions from the Physical Activities Guidelines will:

• Active men and women have an approximately 30 percent lower risk of dying from all causes.
• The equivalent of 2 to 2.5 hours per week of moderate-intensity physical activity is sufficient to significantly reduce your risk of death from all causes.
• People with moderate levels of physical activity have a 20 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease than least active persons.
• A dose of activity 150 minutes per week results in a 1 to 3 percent weight loss.
• There is a moderate association between physical activity and a lower risk of colon and breast cancers. Active people have reductions in risk of lung, endometrial, and ovarian cancers by 20, 30, and 20 percent, respectively.
• Active mid-life and older men and women have approximately a 30 percent lower risk of developing moderate or severe functional limitations compared with inactive individuals.
• Regular physical activity protects against the onset of depression and reduces depression symptoms.

What are you waiting for?