Exercise: How Much, How Often and What Kind

New research is showing that people with chronic conditions greatly benefit from exercise. It not only helps reduce stress, but it can keep you healthier and happier, as well as reduce the risk of developing other conditions

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, from the US Department of Health & Human Services, recommends the following for people with chronic conditions:

• Adults with chronic conditions obtain important health benefits from regular physical activity.

• When adults with chronic conditions do activity according to their abilities, physical activity is safe.

• Adults with chronic conditions should be under the care of health-care providers. People with chronic conditions and symptoms should consult their health-care providers about the types and amounts of activity appropriate for them.

For adults in general, the Guidelines recommend:
• All adults should avoid inactivity. Some physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits

• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.

• For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity, or 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this amount.

• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.

While there are general guidelines for what constitutes “moderate” or “ vigorous” activities, how you do them and where can change the benefit. For example, I live in the mountains so a mile walk is more of a hike than walking a similar distance in Chicago, where it’s fairly flat.

Moderate intensity activities include walking briskly (3 miles per hour or faster, but not race walking); water aerobics, bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour; general gardening; ballroom dancing; tennis doubles. Vigorous intensity includes race walking, jogging, running; swimming laps; aerobic dancing; jumping rope; hiking uphill

Motivating yourself to exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. How your exercise can be incorporated into your daily routine a lot easier than you realize.

Below are some tips that might be helpful.
• Have an exercise buddy or an exercise group. Classes can be fun. These are a great time to catch up with friends. For years I’ve walked and hiked with different groups of people. You’ll find yourself looking forward to the conversation and hardly notice the distance you’ve walked.

• Mix it up. Do different types of exercise.

• Play. This can include a sport, such as tennis or golf, but it can also include getting out with your kids or grandkids and playing an active game of their choosing. Yes Wii games count.

• Music is a good motivator. I Nordic walk faster if I listen to my iPod and I’m more focused when I do my Qigong if I have some music in the background.

• Gym it. Some people hate gyms, while others find them a good place to work out. My husband isn’t fond of the workout, but loves the sauna and the hot tub.

• Incorporate exercise into your daily life. Instead of driving to the corner store, walk. Park the car farther from the door of your office and the mall. Housework is exercise, so when you don’t feel like cleaning think of it as your exercise for the day. When you don’t feel like exercising, remind yourself that the last hour you spent mopping floors and hanging laundry counts toward your exercise. If you are on the phone, stand up or walk. Garden and do lawn chores instead of hiring someone. Shovel snow instead or using a snow blower. Keep in mind the “instead ofs:” sit up instead of lying down; stand instead of sitting; walk or ride a bike instead of driving

• Mall walking works.

• Exercise in 10 minute intervals. Done three times a day, that’s 30 minutes.

• Do things you enjoy. Take a dance or yoga class.

• Walk the dog

• Fly a kite.