How much is enough?

I'm sure it's been asked millions of times, but what is enough to be healthy, in terms of activity, not to lose weight.

i dont have a walking commute and have a mostly desk job.  i dont really like to excercise and havent found anything Im into.

whats enough?

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Living recommendations:

• 60 mins every day
  • Endurance: 4 – 7 times/wk
  • Flexibility: 4 – 7 times/wk
  • Strength: 2 – 4 times/wk

 Length of Time:

• Light effort: 60 mins
• Moderate effort: 30-60 mins
• Vigorous effort: 20-30 mins

So basically, a minimum of 2-4 sessions per week. 3 is great for general health. Ideally, a person should be active every day. Even something easy like a 30 minute brisk walk is decent.

im confused, 2-4 of those diff types of excercise? 60 mins?

i havent found anything i enjoy, it always seems like a chore.  a 30 min walk a few times a week i guess i could try, unfortuantely itd have to be a treadmill at a gym, already getting cold.

I just copied this from my notes. Ignore the "60 mins every day" part. If you increase your effort to moderate or vigorous, you can do less than 60 mins per day. It means 60 mins daily of any one or a combo of the three (ex: 20 mins endurance + 20 mins flex + 20 mins strength or just 60 mins of any one)

everyday?? to be healthy?  what on earth, what do ppl do? i dont like running

first, you need to fix that attitude!

second, there has got to be SOMETHING you like! swimming? roller skating? frisbee? soccer? dancing? kickboxing? have you tried all of those?

just try all kinds of things, thats the only way to find out. i bore very easily so i have to change up what i do alot. its not about what others do, its about finding what you enjoy.

good luck!

thanks, im lazy, like everyone else, i know!

its cold here and no indoor pool, dont know how to rollerskate or blade, dont think the gym has kickboxing, they just have tons of spin classes and 1 zumba.

how much is enough tho, i know its skeweed on this site bc many are athletes or trying to lose weight, im neither, i want to be healthy+not be out of breath.

thanks!

You may be obsessing over the "how much is enough" part of the equation.  What leaves you out of breath, might not be anything to the next person.  The way I see it, something like walking 30 minutes each day (or an equivalent for you...) is enough as far as the health benefits of being "active" go.  I think the whole point is to MOVE and not just be a couch potato day in and day out. 

yes, i AM obsessing over what is enough!

i sit all day so i cant fathom that not moving, yet still being able to eat enough,m would allow me to be healthy?!

im not an athlete+im not looking to become one.  i have a desk job and a driving commute, wish i could be more active during the day but cant.

30 mins of a walk or something equivelant, 3/wk, sufficient?

Enough will depend on your goal. For me enough cardio is 3 to 4 times a week for 30 minutes at a high intensity. But my goal is to be fit. In the end you will have to work out what your goal is and then decide what is enough to reach that goal.

Take a basic fitness test, see where you are and then decide where you want to be. Track it once in a while and adjust your program to fit your schedule. Not having a goal is part of the problem, but more important is to know where you are today.

Decide what you want to change. Measure what it is today. Then set a short term goal. Then decide what is enough to reach that goal.

My two cents anyway.

30 mins of a walk or something equivelant, 3/wk, sufficient?

Here are the US Physical Activity Guidelines from the Department of Health & Human Services. You can find more here (it's a huge document)

• Adults should do a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week by doing activities like brisk walking, ballroom dancing, or general gardening. Adults can choose 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity by doing exercise like jogging, aerobic dancing, and jumping rope. Adults also may choose combinations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.

• Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, and preferably spread throughout the week. For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity or 2 hours and 30 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 on 2 or more days a week to achieve the unique benefits of strengthening activities.

ETA: I fully agree with the previous poster's suggestion of taking the fitness test and see where you are for a better idea of where you want to be.  You can find the US adult fitness test here.

wow, thanks, im going to look at the fitness test.

how do ppl find 5 hrs/wk to WO?  plus 2 days of stregnth?

what am i missing here?

my goal is not to be an athelte, but healthy, and ofcourse not eventually become obese.

thanks!

my goal is not to be an athelte, but healthy, and ofcourse not eventually become obese.

Then I would imagine that the minimum recommendation of 2 hours and 30 minutes TOTAL PER WEEK of moderate-intensity activity (brisk walking, ballroom dancing, or general gardening) would apply to you.  That comes to 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. 

Or, you could choose to do 1 hour and 15 minutes total PER WEEK of vigorous-intensity activity.

Again, depends on your priorities.  I think the 5 hour recommendation is for those with greater fitness goals than what you express.

thanks!  that sounds a bit more doable, a bit, 30 mins is even a lot come to think about it!! lol

no gardening in winter, so walking on a treadmill, umm ,i guess its all gym stuff them, hmm

I guess my question is.. what DO you do?  You get off work, you go home, and...?  If you sit in front of the TV maybe you could do some simple strength stuff while you watch.  Lift some small weights for many repetitions.  Even at work, some people have little squeezy-execuciser things.  Like everyone else, though, I really think you need to find something you like.  I guess staying minimally fit will require more or less effort depending on your age.  If you're my age, though, it's going to take more than you seem willing to put in to it.  Try to find something that inspires you.

arent u tired after work?

im 26, i used to do 20 mins of either the elliptical at the gym, or level 1 or 2 of the 30 Day Shred.  thing is, it was like a torturous pain dragging myself to do it.

something that inspires me? like?

Original Post by agruskin:

arent u tired after work?

im 26, i used to do 20 mins of either the elliptical at the gym, or level 1 or 2 of the 30 Day Shred.  thing is, it was like a torturous pain dragging myself to do it.

something that inspires me? like?

 Try reading a good book about an athlete or runner or anything. A lot of people get really encouraged to run after reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It's a relatively new book, but everyday becoming more popular.

something that inspires me? like?

Do you like to dance?  Maybe take dance lessons?  Swing dancing, or salsa, can be fun.  Also, it is fall and the BEST season for hiking - do you like the outdoors?  Go explore a nearby state park on the weekends.  Go window-shopping - don't need to buy anything, just to walk around.  For more "formal" type of exercise that doesn't involve the typical gym machines/setting, you could sign up to go to a pool and swim.  It's nice and low-impact, and I find it relaxing after a long day at work...

Really, I think the point of the health recommendations is that you stay active - not just become a couch potato.  People usually equate activity with formal exercise, and that doesn't have to be the case!  

You might also want to check out Exercise DVD's. There are so many available. www.collagevideo.com is a great site to order from. If $$ is an issue, check your local library-many times they have videos that you can check out. I think once you start working out, you may not be so tired after work-your energy will increase believe me. Good Luck

Original Post by agruskin:

wow, thanks, im going to look at the fitness test.

how do ppl find 5 hrs/wk to WO?  plus 2 days of stregnth?

what am i missing here?

my goal is not to be an athelte, but healthy, and ofcourse not eventually become obese.

thanks!

 Walking is great. Being sedantary, esp. as a 20 something yr old that you are...can lead to a shortened life and/or one filled with dr visits. 

Learning how to lift weights..not to be an athlete but to help you become more physically fit, stronger..and as a prevention to age related things such as osteoperosis...etc.

Seriously, take a week and write down everything you do when your not at work..including the time [ie: watching tv...or being on computer, etc]. You may surprise yourself at how much time you really do have. But, that's not saying you need a ton of time, either. 45 mins a day [or 20 if you do HIIT] is sufice.