There’s a new way to see if you’re getting enough exercise

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (and similar recommendations from other countries) require healthy adults to get it. 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as walkingStrenuous activity counts double, so 75 minutes is enough for runners to meet the minimum guidelines. But would it benefit your health if you had time to do more? And where does strength training fall?

The guidelines consider strength training to be separate from the exercise duration in the guidelines. (In addition to a few minutes of cardio, he should do strength training twice a week.) new research investigated how many minutes of exercise were associated with reduced mortality and included strength training in their calculations.

People who exercise, according to new research four times As much as the minimum guidelines of 600 minutes of moderate exercise or 300 minutes of vigorous exercise appear to be healthier than those who meet the minimum (150/75).and exercise more that Some people wonder if there is “too much” exercise, but no such numbers were found in this study’s analysis. (Overtraining is a problem among high-level athletesbut unlikely to cause it in casual or recreational exercise.)

What does this mean for my exercise routine?

First of all, this is not a guideline change.I think it’s still a good idea to try to meet the guidelines as a first step towards becoming healthier. (30 minutes per day) added × 7 days a week = 210 minutes). It’s too early to say if it’s extended my lifespan, but I’ve certainly noticed some benefits. (combination) is what you want and you can easily achieve it, try 300 minutes of moderate activity (150 vigorous exercises).

Second, it’s important to know that this was a study Association Between exercise time and mortality. Poor health often reduces exercise capacity. If her health deteriorated in the years before her grandma died and she was unable to take her daily walks, perhaps her lack of walking did not take her life.

But that doesn’t mean numbers aren’t useful. Health and exercise tend to build upon each other.Be healthy to begin with, exercise more and it can help you stop health. Aerobic exercise is good for heart health. Strength training gives you more muscle mass. Helps maintain quality of life As you age, it reduces the chance of complications from any health problems you experience.

The study not only encourages people to exercise more if they have the time and ability, but also provides another way to ask yourself if you’re exercising enough to stay fit.

• You can ask if they participate in at least 150 minutes of cardio and 2 strength training sessions each week.
• Add up all your exercises (including strength training) and see where you fall on the 150-600 minute range.

What is Exercise?

According to physical activity guidelines, “moderate” exercise is 3 to 6 METs, or the equivalent of your metabolism.(1 MET is the amount of energy you expend doing nothing at all.) Some examples:

• Walk more than 2.5 miles per hour (the average person walks about 3.0 miles)
• Mop the floor or clean it with “moderate effort”
• cleaning the garage
• mow the lawn
• Leisurely bicycle (low speed, flat ground)
• golf
• horse riding
• Playing with children, walking around, running around

Under physical activity guidelines, anything below 3 METs is considered “light” rather than “moderate” activity. This includes most activities that involve standing or moving slightly, such as dusting furniture or grocery shopping. A recent self-reported study considered all activities below 6 METs to be in the moderate category.

Vigorous exercise, where minutes are doubled, includes exercise of 6 METs or more.

• Run more than 13 minutes (4 mph)
• dance aerobics class
• Hiking uphill or with a pack
• Bike somewhere (more than 10 mph or uphill)
• roller skates
• swimming laps
• shoveling snow
• jump rope
• Most team sports (soccer, basketball, etc.)

See MET values ​​for over 800 activities hereDismantling large animals? do you dance the polka? For your information, both are intense intensity.