11 minutes of daily exercise do this to your body

The new US guidelines on physical activity show that even reduced daily activities can do wonders for the body and mind.

A committee appointed by the US Department of Health and Human Services released the country's latest exercise announcement. In its first update since 2008, the Principles of Physical Activity for Americans, 2nd Edition (PAG) rely on a systematic review of research on physical activity and health.

The authors write that "about 80% of American adults and adolescents are not active enough", which is as surprising as it is not the case. Here's what the guidelines recommend in terms of amount of exercise:

3 to 5 years:
Should be physically active throughout the day to promote growth and development.

6 to 17 years:
At least 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day.

adults:
At least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of physical activity of moderate intensity aerobic intensity or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week, or a combination of both. They should also do muscle building activities 2 days or more a week.

The elderly:
Should be doing multi-component physical activity that includes balance training as well as aerobic activities and muscle building.

A big change from the previous edition is that they no longer advise a specific duration for periods of exercise. While they previously recommended doing exercise for at least 10 minutes, they now write: "Current evidence shows that the total volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is linked to many benefits. for health, episodes of prescribed duration are not essential. "So that's fine.

What has really hit me, is the list of benefits. Of course, we all know that exercise is one of the most important things we can do for our health – but it is quite sober (or inspiring) to see the magnitude of the benefits.

And so here is what I understood. An adult can divide the recommended 11 minutes of "aerobic physical activity of vigorous intensity" to 11 minutes each day. And by doing so, it can help achieve the goals of the report "Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity" (see Box 2):

• Lower risk of all-cause mortality
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Lower risk of cardiovascular disease (including heart disease and stroke)
• Reduced risk of hypertension
• Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• Lower risk of unfavorable blood lipid profile
• Lower risk of cancers of the bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidneys, lungs and stomach
• improvement of cognition
• Reduced risk of dementia (including Alzheimer's disease)
• improving the quality of life
• reduced anxiety
• Reduced risk of depression
• improved sleep
• Slow or reduced weight gain
• Weight loss, especially in combination with reduced caloric intake
• Prevention of weight recovery after initial weight loss
• Improved bone health
• Improved physical function
• Lower risk of falls (seniors)
• Lower risk of falls-related injuries (seniors)

My God, who does not want all this? I will even exercise 12 minutes a day!

Aerobic activity is defined as "an activity in which the large muscles of the body move for a prolonged period of time, thereby improving cardiorespiratory fitness". Also known as endurance or cardio, this does not have to be a marathon or something too difficult. Moderate aerobic activity includes brisk walking at a speed of 3 to 5 km / h, playing volleyball or raking the yard. Vigorous activities can include jogging, heavy grocery shopping, or an intense fitness class.

Beyond the recommendations for average adults, the report provides detailed guidance to children, pregnant women and postpartum women, adults with chronic health conditions or disabilities, and exercise methods. safely. This even suggests what kind of unexpected activities can be considered total, such as parking further away from a destination and walking around; take the stairs instead of an escalator, etc.

I think a lot of people are intimidated by the exercise – it's often made to seem that it's a lot harder, or that the benefits come only from hard work. Or maybe people just do not want to join the Jock culture. Anyway, these new guidelines show that most of us can enjoy these very impressive benefits effortlessly. In the discussion, the authors explain that new evidence "shows that it is easier to obtain health benefits associated with physical activity than previously thought." Especially now that even short bursts accumulate.

I really recommend reading the whole thing. And during this time, I will be back … for three minutes of jumping obstacles.

You can see the report here: The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans