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How Much Exercise Do I Need? |
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 “How much do I need to exercise to lose weight?” This is a common question among those trying to lose weight. Until now, most health and fitness professionals went with the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. However, new evidence is causing these professionals to look at a different set of guidelines: the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2009 Guidelines on Physical Activity and Weight Loss. These new guidelines suggest that 150 minutes per week will only cause a small amount of weight loss (possibly 3% or less). Instead, they advocate 250 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise if significant weight loss is the goal. This would be equivalent to 50 minutes, five times per week. Lesser amounts of exercise can be used to maintain weight loss.
Moderate physical activity is defined as activity that gets you working at 50-70% of you maximum heart rate. To figure out your maximum heart rate, subtract your age in years from 220. For example, a 50 year old person would have a maximum heart rate of 170 beats per minute (or 220 minus 50). A goal of 50% of maximum for this person would be equal to 85 beats per minute.
Examples of moderate-intensity exercise include brisk walking, cycling, swimming and even some home repair and yard work. Moderate-intensity activities are those that can be sustained comfortably for a prolonged period of time (i.e. 45 minutes). However, if you have heart problems, diabetes or other health conditions, be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.
Author: Christi Larson, Pharm. D.
Dr. Larson is a pharmacist, author of Empowered Medicine; A Guide for Consumers and creator of Empowered Medicine. You can read more about her by visiting www.EmpoweredMedicine.com and clicking on the 'About Us' tab. EmpoweredMedicine.com is committed to providing evidence-based medical information from a pharmacist's point of view.
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