Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

I have discussed the importance of regular exercise in some of my previous blogs, so we are all aware that exercise is an important component of any healthy weight loss program.  However, I thought it would be good to discuss how much exercise is recommended and the benefits that might be obtained from hitting the recommended goals. 

In 2008, the U.S. government released their first formal recommendations regarding appropriate physical activity in their Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.  Their website is an excellent resource that contains not only the physical activity guidelines, but also tips on how to stay active and a toolkit for organizations and communities.  A brief summary of these guidelines can also be found in a recently published paper. 

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the following physical activity recommendations have been made:

• Children & Adolescents
• 60 minutes or more physical activity daily with most of it in the form of moderate or vigorous intensity aerobic exercise.
• Should include muscle and bone strengthening physical activity 3 days per week as part of the 60 minutes or more per day.

• Adults
• At least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity is necessary to obtain substantial health benefits.
• For more extensive health benefits, adults should aim for 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week.
• Muscle strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups should be done on at least 2 days per week.

According to the Guidelines, this level of physical activity is associated with a number of health benefits.  In children and teens, there is strong evidence that appropriate physical activity is associated with improved heart and lung health, improved muscle fitness, improved bone health, and better body composition.  Similarly, there is strong evidence that adults also obtain a number of health benefits with physical activity including lower risk of poor heart health, improved mental outlook, and weight maintenance among many other benefits.

While the minimum recommended levels of physical activity provide a number of health benefits, weight loss might not be achieved unless combined with a good diet plan and increased levels of activity.  My easy diet plan is a great way to reach your weight loss goals by taking control of your calorie intake.