Do You Need to Workout More? or Maybe Less?
Last week in my stories, I referred to some scary statistics related to exercise. Currently, 80% of adults in the United States do not meet the minimum recommendation for physical activity. That means only 20% of us are moving as much as we should be. We also know that 7 of the 10 most common chronic diseases can be impacted by physical activity. And finally, 50% of adults in the US have one or more of these chronic diseases!
Does this mean you need to exercise more? Could be yes, could be no.
If we look at physical activity, I previously said that physical activity includes cardiovascular exercise and strength training, but also flexibility, sport specific training, balance and everyday movement. Breaking down the specific guidelines from Healthy People 2020 for cardiovascular exercise (those that get your heart pumping) and strength training (those that get your muscles stronger) we see something that looks like this:
Accumulate 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, 75-150 of vigorous intensity exercise per week, or a combination of both.
Incorporate muscle strengthening exercise for the major muscle groups two times per week. Include movements for the muscles of the chest, back, legs, arms, and core for 1-12 repetitions, 1-3 sets, two times per week.
Clear, right? Absolutely NOT! By the time I do the math to figure out how much cardio I need to do, I already decided, it wasn’t worth it. So here I am to help clarify!
Before we can even look at the numbers, what is moderate vs high (vigorous) intensity even mean?
Moderate intensity - requires some effort and increases your heart rate. Some examples are walking, dancing, housework
High or Vigorous intensity - requires more effort, a greater increase in breathing rate and heart rate. Some examples - Running, aerobics, circuit training. Please note that this is NOT intended to be Maximal effort activities.
Take a look at these graphics and give yourself an honest assessment. Are you in the 80% of the population who falls short, or part of the 20% who are above the minimum.
Know that if you are meeting the requirements or not, it is OK and I am here to help!
Many of us get caught in the comparison game - seeing what everyone else is doing or posting and thinking we aren’t doing enough. You are you! You have your own goals, you have your own schedule, you have your own life . You also have your own journey. If you aren’t exercising at all right now, jumping into 6 days a week might not be possible, but maybe 15 minutes twice a week will be where you start. That is cool. Once you feel success with your current workouts, maybe we add in a little more! Progress is progress and even better - YOUR Progress is what matters!
If you see the minimum recommendations and think, WOW, I am blasting past this , why am I not as “fit” as I think I should be? I am here to help! Many times we over train thinking more is better and with exercise, more isn’t always better! We can evaluate why you are doing the workouts you are doing, what your goals are and how your total well-being and energy play into the equation.
Writing an exercise plan takes both art and science. It is more than just doing a random workout you found online. It takes knowing which exercises are beneficial for a you, how they should be sequenced together, and how it all fits together to achieve your goals. It also takes knowing you. Knowing you work long days or that you are home with three kids because these factors often impact the type of workout that will give your optimal results and also may impact the intensity you can give on a certain day.
I love helping people find their health through a short journey or long journey. I love being there for the struggles and aha moments. I love the self-development that happens when people take ownership of their health and take action! Embracing a physically active lifestyle has nothing to do with 6-pack abs or max bench presses. It is all about feeling your best and having the energy to do your best.