Physical Activity

The Fruitful Fifteen

Anything is better than nothing and more is better than less!

The recommended amount of physical activity is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity a week.

There are SO many types of aerobic physical activities: walking is one of the most common and simple to achieve

Moderate physical activity is activity you could still carry on a conversation: walking, light jogging, biking, gardening

Vigorous physical activity is activity you could NOT carry on a conversation while doing: running, biking faster etc

Strength training should occur twice a week.

Strength training has benefits for our bones, our blood sugar, and our functional health.

Trained muscles burn more calories even at baseline.

Physical activity can be a part of your daily life--it can be incorporated into your travel, your care for your children, and your gardening.

Shift your mindset: How do I incorporate moving my body throughout the day?

Being sedentary throughout the day is as dangerous to your health as being sedentary overall.

One trick is to set a timer and move every 25 minutes.

Think about what your goals might be with respect to being physically active and start by fitting in some physical activity you love!

In the Blue Zones, people incorporate activity into all aspects of their lives and get outside as much as possible!

The best physical activity is the physical activity you will do! It is not safe to be sedentary

You do not need to consult a medical professional to get started--especially with walking. But, if you have dizziness, headaches, chest pain, or palpitations--contact your provider immediately.

Don't be afraid to try different types of physical activity and explore what you might love! Be creative and be open!

For the time barrier: find what is joyful for you.

For the knowledge barrier: Think about physical therapists as a resource. Trainers can also be helpful, but check their credentials, social media, and YouTube.

Takeaways

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week and two days of strength training.

Don't make it complicated.

Anything is better than nothing!

Episode Links and Resources:

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

Williamson DL, Kirwan JP. A single bout of concentric resistance exercise increases basal metabolic rate 48 hours after exercise in healthy 59-77-year-old men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1997 Nov;52(6):M352-5. doi: 10.1093/gerona/52a.6.m352. PMID: 9402941

Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com/

Blue Zones: https://www.bluezones.com/