How Much is Enough Exercise?

Gina Guddat

It seems like exercise guidelines keep changing. We have been told different things from various authorities over the last few years. The most accepted advice was to exercise 3-5 days a week for 30-60 minutes at a time. This is still sensible but allows for quite a variance. What will be the difference between the benefits a person will get if they only work out for 30 minutes 3 times a week vs. the individual who will work out for 60 minutes, five days a week? Obviously the one that does more will benefit more!

Recently the Institute of Medicine suggested that we should all work-out one hour a day! That is a big difference from what we were hearing a couple years ago that "light gardening a couple times a week counts for fitness". Pedometers have also been a hot way for people to keep an eye on how active they really are during the day. Most common recommendations have been 10,000 steps per day. However, the Cooper Institute now recommends upward of 18,000 steps if you need to shed some pounds. What do all these guidelines mean? Here are some simple strategies:

• Wear a pedometer for a month to see what your "normal" activity level is.
• Try to do some kind of activity that elevates your heart rate on most days.
• Start out with lighter exercise like walking, and build up to hiking, running or other higher intensity activities over time.
• Slowly increase your workouts from 30 min. - 60 min.
• Do a variety of different activities to keep your body challenged.

Motivate yourself by remembering how good you feel after you've completed a workout!

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)