How Much Exercise Do We Need?

I have many patients that ask me, “How much exercise is necessary?” Well it depends upon what you want to accomplish. If you are in a weight loss mode then you want to burn more calories than you take in. If you are in a weight management mode then you want to burn off exactly what you take in to maintain your weight.

The American Institute for Cancer Research’s (AICR) expert report, "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective," recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day to protect against cancer. This is exercise will also help you burn calories. Moderate physical activity is defined as activity that causes the heart rate to increase and breathing to deepen, such as brisk walking. A brisk walk, swim or bike ride will work well, as will some household chores, provided they get the heart pumping. It doesn't matter what activities are chosen and the exercise does not have to be done all at one time. It can be broken up in 10 or 15 minute intervals. The question becomes will 30 minutes per day be enough for weight loss? It will of course depend upon your metabolism and your food intake. The AICR recommends that 60 minutes per day of exercise is associated with the prevention of weight gain. It is also recommended that for maximum calorie burn, a blend of cardio and weight resistance training is necessary.

So, what if you don’t have 60 minutes per day to exercise? Do some sort of formal exercise for as long as you can. Then keep your body moving, the more you move, the more calories you burn. Cleaning and normal chores around the house can burn calories. Incorporate more walking into your daily life. Make yourself walk up stairs instead of taking an elevator or an escalator or park farther away from the store or your work place so you have to walk more.

How to fit in exercise if you don’t have the time

These days it is hard to find the time to exercise if you work outside the home and have a family. It seems as though your time is always accounted for in some way. So how can we fit it in with all of our demands? If you are pressed for time, try fitting in a 10 minute work out or walk for 10 minutes every day. It will help burn calories and be the equivalent of a 20 minute workout 3 times/week. As you begin to exercise you will feel better, have greater energy and relieve your stress. Then you can try increasing your workout by one extra minute on the days when you have time. That way you are in the habit of doing something everyday, burn calories and you can improve your cardiovascular health.

To burn more calories, a new study from the University of New South Wales found that running intervals, or sprints with intermittent rest periods will burn three times as much fat as running at slow, consistent speeds. If you are a runner or jogger, head to a track, football field, or other measured area with room to run. Sprint for 45 seconds and record your distance. Rest for 60 seconds, then sprint again for 45 seconds trying to increase your distance by 10% in the same time frame. You can also do this on an elliptical machine or treadmill at a gym.

If you have some time at home in the evening, try to lift light dumb bells while you are watching TV, reading or even checking your email. Resistance training will increase muscle mass, tighten the skin and increase metabolism. Using weights 3-4 days per week, skipping a day in between can be very helpful to weight loss efforts and you will see the results if you stick with it.