If you are currently exercising, give yourself a pat on the back!  If you are not engaged in a regular exercise routine, give yourself a kick in the butt and get moving!  This blog is probably going to open a lot of eyes…couch potatoes and gym junkies alike…it’s time to face the facts and understand how much exercise is really enough.

In 2007, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) jointly published the updated guidelines for physical activity.  Yes, an updated guideline…which means that there have been previously published recommendations from health organizations telling us how much exercise and physical activity we should be getting in order to maximize our health.  Were you aware such a set of guidelines even existed?  Just by taking one look around us when we are in public, it isn’t surprising that few people follow these recommendations – much less even know that these guidelines are published for our reading…and health pleasure!

The current guidelines updated the previous version that was published in 1995.  Just as everything evolves over time…these updated guidelines were arguably long overdue.  Some sweeping changes were made to the overall recommendations – which took some of the guesswork out of interpreting the guidelines.  Below is a brief synopsis of the 2007 Physical Activity Recommendations as published on the ACSM website:

Guidelines for healthy adults under age 65

Basic recommendations from ACSM and AHA:

Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation.  It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

Guidelines for adults over age 65
(or adults 50-64 with chronic conditions)

Basic recommendations from ACSM and AHA:

Do moderately intense aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense aerobic exercise 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, 10-15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three times per week
And
If you are at risk of falling, perform balance exercises
And
Have a physical activity plan.

A few important things to point out about the verbiage above that are improvements over the 1995 recommendations: 

1.  There are separate guidelines for older adults, which emphasize different physiological needs
2.  The recommendations provide more clarity in terms of the frequency of exercise
3.  The recommendations make a distinction about the intensity level of cardio exercise
4.  There is an explicitly clear recommendation that vigorous exercise is beneficial
5.  Clearly stated recommendations for strength training, emphasizing the benefit of weight training
6.  Additional activity recommendations for anyone who wishes to lose weight

The most important improvement made in the 2007 guidelines is overall clarity.  The older version left too much room for misunderstanding and misinterpretation – which could reasonably contribute to a person’s decision to remain sedentary.  However, with these updated guidelines there are no excuses.  The AHA and ACSM are telling you what you need to do to get healthy and remain healthy, what more could you ask for?

So with all these being said, it is time to examine your exercise program and see if you are doing enough.  If you are just beginning an exercise program or if you are not currently exercising at all, you shouldn’t worry about meeting these recommendations right off the bat – instead use these guidelines to develop your fitness goals.  If you have been exercising regularly, but realize you may not be doing enough – it is time to step it up! 

Exercise is medicine…so make sure you give yourself the proper dose each day in order to live a healthy and happy life!