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    Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

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  • Oct. 25, 2008

    Physical activity a recipe for better health

    By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.

6 comments posted

I'm going to take off my dietitian hat for a moment and put on my wellness hat. Let's talk about diet's right hand — exercise.

The CDC recently released the "2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans." The guidelines recommend incorporating both physical activity and strength training. The guidelines are a result of the overwhelming evidence of the benefit of exercise in chronic disease prevention. The guidelines are as follows:

Adults and those 65 or older who are generally fit, and have no limiting health conditions:

  • 150 minutes/week moderate intensity aerobic activity such as walking, moderate cycling, dancing, and yard work
  • Or 75 minutes/week vigorous aerobic activity such as fast paced walking, jogging, jumping jacks, and heavy or rapid shoveling
  • Or a mix of moderate and vigorous activity
  • 2 more days/week — muscle strengthening (push ups, resistance exercises, or yoga) of all major muscle groups

Adults with disabilities:

  • Talk to your doctor and a trained exercise professional about what's best for you

Pregnant and post partum women, in a good state of health:

  • 150 minutes/week moderate intensity aerobic activity such as walking or water exercises
  • Women who already do vigorous intensity aerobic activity may continue to do so and discuss adjusting their activity over the duration of their pregnancy or post partum period with their health care provider

Children:

  • 60 minutes/day such as general active play, organized sports, or dancing
  • Within this 60 minutes include: 3 days/week of vigorous activity that includes running or a faster paced activity, 3 days/week muscle strengthening such as pulling self up on a jungle gym or pushups, and 3 days/week bone strengthening such as jumping or running

You are encouraged to spread the activity over a week's timeframe and if needed, fit 10-minute segments into your day.

More is better; if you double the above recommendations you achieve a greater health benefit.

For those of you who are among the 28 percent of Americans who have no leisure time activity, this is asking a lot. Some argue that even if you are not sedentary, these recommendations might be unrealistic for most people. Regardless of where you fall in the spectrum of activity, be smart about how you increase your physical activity; talk to your doctor before beginning more vigorous activity.

I think we all can agree that any physical activity that increases your heart rate is a positive lifestyle factor.

For those of you who fall into that 28 percent, there are other reasons to get moving. Also this month, a small study was published that highlights the ills of unbalanced energy intake (what you eat) and being sedentary. As you would expect, it confirms that too many calories while being sedentary increases body fat. But the study also suggests that while you gain fat, you loss muscle mass and your body has an increased stress response — double whammy. In fact, those who gained the most fat also lost the most muscle mass. The message: If you're unable to participate in physical activity, watch your calorie intake closely.

We all know that exercise is something we should do. Do you find these guidelines motivating? Expecting too much? For those of you that have found success in making exercise a part of your lifestyle, share your tips.

6 comments posted

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  • March 27, 2009 5:08 p.m.

    I think Melinda's stats are great, but can anyone give a source for where those are taken from? I'd like to be able to quote those. Thank you.

    - Jane

  • November 6, 2008 10:13 p.m.

    I try my best to squeeze in a workout, but with a newborn it feels impossible sometimes. I've been using this great corrective belt I ordered through fitand sharp.com and I'm actually seeing results. It takes my body's shape and I can wear it under my clothes comfortably. It does the toning as I run through my daily routine. Together with watching my diet, the pounds seem to be coming off faster than i thought they would. I'm really happy with this product. Hope this helps.

    - Bettypenn

  • November 5, 2008 2:47 a.m.

    Try, you won't be sorry, no matter how much you hate it or don't have time. I hated exercise and had no time for it with full time work and two kids, but forced myself to start 5 years ago, as I was starting to put on weight. In addition to losing almost two sizes without dieting, it has improved my mood and alertness tremendously. I don't have time every day, so on those days I squeeze in a 10 minute walk around the building at lunch time, force myself to use the stairs at work instead of the elevator, etc.

    - P

  • October 29, 2008 10:05 a.m.

    Hi there, I'm co-founder of the LoneStart Wellness Initiative. We've posted some useful information on our LoneStart Wellness and Well-being blog that I'd like to share here as well. As hard as it is to find time to keep an "activity" schedule, there are ways to work it in to every opportunity you can find. Such as, taking the stairs for a total of 2 minutes, five days a week gives you the same calorie-burning results as a 20 minute walk. Adults gain two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular exercise, so truly, every little bit helps. Also, for every pound of weight you are able to lose, there is a four-pound reduction in the load placed on the knee joint with each step you take. So, the accumulated reduction in knee load for a one-pound weight loss is more than 4,800 pounds per mile walked. Hope these hints are useful.

    - Melinda

  • October 29, 2008 7:38 a.m.

    I think the guidelines are reasonable, especially if you spread your exercise around different activities. Although I enjoy some kinds of exercise and sport such as cycling for pleasure, playing badminton and going to the gym, I find that I have to make time for these activites and it is hard to keep up a regular commitment in a busy life. Like Mal, I find that the best way to fit in my exercise is to fit it into my daily routine as much as possible - the fittest I ever was was when my children were at primary school. whenever I could I did the 2 mile (there and back) school run on foot - good for me and the kids. I think no matter what exercise you do it has to be something you: a. enjoy b. know that you can fit it into your life - best of all if you can integrate it into something yu have to do, like going to work, as Mal does and I did. These days I get my exercise from: a weekly yoga class that I love for the social as well as health aspects, daily yoga practice first thing on a morning - just 15 minutes a day wakes me up and gets my day on track, a weekly family walk in the countryside, walking wherever I can - to the shops etc., taking care of my garden, well as the usual tips such as using stairs instead of lifts. I'm sure I could be fitter but I find that this amount of moderate exercise along with sensible eating keeps my weight stable, helps my mental well - being and allows me to exert myself with ending up gasping for breath.

    - Julie

  • October 26, 2008 9:56 p.m.

    I dislike sport and I dislike exercise. But I cycle to and from work most days (30 minutes each way, fairly strenuously) and it doesn't seem like sport or exercise. It feels like commuting, with pleasure of exercising skills and feeling the wind, and growing leg strength. And I don't cycle as a leisure activity. And it takes no more time than catching the tram to work, in inner suburban Melbourne.

    - Mal

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