By Lori Devine
Tennyson Senior Living

As a certified health coach and personal trainer, people ask me many questions. One of the most often asked is, “How much exercise should I be getting?” My answer is always, “It depends.” Recommendations on exercise quantity are readily available from many credible sources like the National Institutes of Health (NHI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, it is these and other organizations that worked together to create the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 

The first version of such guidelines was released in 2008. Since that time, the latest data have shed a new light on the benefits and recommendations for exercise.

For example, the first report highlighted the significant benefits exercise has on cardiovascular, muscle and bone health. The 2018 report goes further, citing the following additional benefits of physical activity;

• Improved brain health like cognitive function, reduced anxiety and depression.
• For older adults, reduced risk of fall-related injuries.
• For people with chronic medical conditions, the reduced risk of all-cause and disease-specific mortality, improved physical function and quality of life.

Regarding the amount of exercise, the new report still emphasizes a weekly target of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise that includes aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Yet for many people, this recommendation may be unreachable. Consequently, the new report offers refreshingly realistic options for all including:

• Continued reinforcement to sit less and move more.
• Encouraging people to break up exercise sessions to as little as 5 minute multiple bouts throughout the day. The former recommendation had a 10 minute limit. This new directive allows a huge segment of the population limited by mobility and chronic illness to incorporate physical activity into their lives.
• Examples of a 5 minute bout are marching in place, walking down a hall and back, vacuuming the living room or swinging the arms like a music conductor to a few favorite songs.

So, in the end, the amount of exercise is an individual choice. The important thing is to get moving. Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. 

To learn more about how you can use this information to incorporate physical activity into your life, the Move Your Way Campaign is an online tool to record and measure your weekly activity. Go to health.gov/moveyourway to get started.

Lori Devine is the Health & Wellness Manager at Tennyson Senior Living. Questions about exercise? Contact Lori at ldevine@independentlivinginc.org.