How Much Exercise Do You Need Every Day?
Some people exercise to improve their appearance, while others do it for the sake of their health or competition. The amount of exercise that a person needs depends on his reason for exercising, his starting point, and how fast he wants to achieve his goals. The type of exercise he should do depends on his schedule, preferences, personal abilities, and facilities. So how much exercise do you need every day? Check this guideline.
For Adults
Healthy adults are advised to get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of intense aerobic workout every week. Aerobic dancing and running are examples of vigorous aerobic activities. Examples of moderate aerobic workouts are brisk walking and swimming. Try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic trainings daily. You need to exercise more to lose weight or achieve definite fitness goals.
You should also do strength training at least 2 times a week. Strength training activities include doing push-ups and sit-ups, lifting weights, and using exercise bands. Pick activities that will work various parts of the body such as your shoulders, stomach, arms, legs, back, hips, and chest. Repeat exercises for every muscle group 12 or 8 times per session.
It is also important to reduce sitting time. Sitting too much will harm your metabolism and health. If you are too busy, try to squeeze in short bouts of activity throughout the day. For example, if you cannot take a 30-minute walk every day, try several 5-minute walks instead.
For Children Aged 3 to 5
Preschool-aged children (3 to 5 years old) should get an unstructured and structured active play to help with their development and growth. Unstructured play involves creative free play like playing on playgrounds. Structured play, on the other hand, is supervised by an adult and has a goal. Examples of structured play include playing a game.
Teens and children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Most of it must be moderate- aerobic activities such as running, walking, skipping, and playing basketball. They should also get vigorous-intensity activities such as aerobic and activities that strengthen the bones and muscles for a minimum of thrice a week. Examples of vigorous aerobic activities include fast swimming and running. Activities that strengthen the bones can include skipping, hopping, and doing jumping jacks. Activities that strengthen can include doing push-ups and playing tug-of-war.
People with Special Health Needs
People with special health needs, older adults, and pregnant women should consult with their doctor on how much exercise they should get as well as what kinds of activities they can do.
If you are trying to improve your heart health, you should do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities every week or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activities per week. Aerobic exercise can help improve your glucose tolerance, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, or overall cardiometabolic health. You also need to perform strengthening exercises at least 2 days a week to build and preserve lean muscle.
If you are trying to maintain weight loss through exercise, the guidelines stated above might not be enough. You may need to exercise more to lose or maintain your weight. To lose a substantial amount of weight, you need to exercise for 1 hour, 5 days a week. If you wish to lose more than 5% of your body weight, you need to do 300+ minutes of moderate exercises every week to achieve your goals.
If you do vigorous-intensity activities, you can get similar benefits in one-half the time. Once you achieve your weight loss goal, you need to continue exercising to maintain your weight. To prevent weight re-gain, you should do strength-training activities to increase the fat-free mass level of your body. This will improve your metabolic rate.
You also need to adjust your diet to increase your body’s ability to burn calories. If you have been inactive or stopped working out for a while, you need to start slowly and add gradually as your body gets used to your new routine. Do not pressurize yourself to do more. Just do what you can for now. And before engaging in vigorous activities, talk to your physician about what intensity is suitable and safe for you. This is particularly important for those with a history of heart problems.