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| Thursday, March 25, 2010 |
| New Exercise Goal – 60 Minutes a Day! |
It’s currently recommended that women exercise for 30 minutes, 5 times per week at a moderate to intense level. Being a fitness enthusiast, personal trainer, aerobics instructor and Registered Dietitian for many years, I’ve seen a lot of people try to meet this goal. The thought process is that if they can achieve that goal, they can maintain their desired weight. In my experience, that is unfortunately usually not the case. I just haven’t seen great results in women who exercise 30 minutes five times per week. Yes, it’s definitely better than nothing, but is it enough to avoid weight gain? A new study says no.
A study to be published in the March 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that women actually need 60 minutes of moderate exercise everyday to prevent weight gain as they age (if they follow a normal diet). The Federal Guidelines of 30 minutes, 5 days per week just may not be enough. Before you throw in the towel altogether, remember it says moderate exercise. Moderate exercise means exercising at a level where you are slightly winded and out of breath but can still have a conversation. You want to feel your heart rate increase during moderate exercise. Brisk walking would be a good example. Another very important point the researchers made was that you can break up your exercise. It is acceptable to do 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening or even 20 minutes three times per day. However you can fit it in is fine.
Overweight and obesity are a huge health problem for the United States and I think it is time that doctors confront it head on. Many women get most of their health advice from their doctors. It is time for them to stop telling middle aged women that walking around the block with their dog a few times each week is sufficient exercise. This type of advice has not helped thus far and this recent study shows that it is imperative that doctors recommend more exercise to their female patients. As a personal trainer, I tell my clients to push themselves. I do this knowing that if I tell them to give 110%, most of them will give at least 75%. They can see results at 75%. However, if I asked them to give 75%, they would give 50% and then they would see very little results. People in the health and wellness field need to encourage women to go for 60 minutes of exercise on most days. There is no reason why you can’t do it!
So if you are reading this you may be wondering what is the best course of action to take. Well the study found that women who are at a healthy weight and eat a “normal” diet should exercise moderately for 60 minutes each day to avoid weight gain. However, if you are on a calorie restricted diet, you will most likely be able to maintain your weight on 30 minutes of exercise. Unfortunately, the results for overweight or obese women were not good. The researchers found that even 60 minutes per day of exercise was not enough to prevent weight gain in this group. In the case of overweight and obese women, I would recommend a visit to a Registered Dietitian to get started on a calorie restricted, weight loss plan along with exercise. One bit of good news from the study is that any woman can replace 60 minutes of moderate exercise with 30 minutes of intense exercise for the same results. Therefore, if you don’t have a whole hour to walk one day, try jogging for 30 minutes instead and you will get the same benefit.
Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged by the results of the study. Don’t forget that the study recommendation of 60 minutes of exercise each day is for weight maintenance as we age. 30 minutes of exercise on most days still has fantastic health benefits. It will improve your cardiovascular health and help lower your risk for many diseases and conditions. If you don’t exercise, start slowly and work up to the hour. If you do exercise, kick up your routine. You can do an hour of Zumba instead of the treadmill or you can do 30 minutes of treadmill and 30 minutes of weight training. You can do 60 minutes of tennis or even ballroom dancing. Pick some activities you enjoy and start exercising today. I am so glad this study was done. As women, our metabolism decreases as we age. It’s just a sad fact! However, this study tells you EXACTLY what to do to keep the weight off. I love the recommendation for more exercise. Make exercise a habit and a way of life and I am sure you will be happier with your weight and your health as you age.
- Jennifer
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Labels: Exercise, Jennifer, Motivation
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posted by My Sensei @ Thursday, March 25, 2010   |
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