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This is still the moment. The Department of Health and Social Services has released a new edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This sound that you hear, is that Americans sigh collectively.
Let's be honest: Physical activity guidelines can be difficult. As behavioral specialists who specialize in motivation to exercise, we will be the first to admit that maintaining a physically active lifestyle is not easy. That's what we do and we do not always reach the goal. Life is a mess and often hinders the best intentions. Let's take a deep breath, unveil these new guidelines and this discussion strategy.
The guidelines recommend all adults to do at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week at an intensity that increases the heart rate. Older adults should add balance exercises. And with the exception of pregnant or breastfeeding women, adults should lift weights using all major muscle groups at least twice a week.
The guidelines also recommend that school-aged children and adolescents be active 180 minutes a week. Preschoolers should be active all day. Maybe you think who has the time for this whole exercise?
The good news is that guidelines now recognize that it's not necessary to spend a lot of time on exercise to gain health benefits. For the first time, the guidelines do not require physical activity to take place for at least 10 consecutive minutes to be valid. All activities count. So going up and down the stairs at work every day counts for your goal (as long as you raise your heart rate).
The new guidelines also emphasize the "move more, sit less" message to encourage everyone to do a little more physical activity and spend a little less time sitting. Physical activity is not all or nothing. Each small gesture has health benefits, so if reaching the recommendation seems insurmountable, that's fine. Just try to do a bit more than you did yesterday. Improvement is considered a success whether you follow the rules or not.
But how? And when?
If you think the guidelines are overwhelming, you're not the only one. This is one of the most common complaints regarding the guidelines we hear from the thousands of people we have studied and advised as part of exercise programs. People are often desperate to radically change their way of life. One way to achieve an ambitious goal is to break it down into smaller pieces.
Consider a marathon runner. No new runners start running 26 miles; everyone must be up to it. They break monstrous goals into small pieces that steadily increase over several months.
You can approach the new physical activity guidelines in the same way. By following your progress, using increasingly ambitious goals, and celebrating the milestones of your accomplishments, you can get closer to your goal.
The first goal you set for yourself should be easy enough – so easy that you should think, "Oh, come on! It's too easy!
Say, for example, that you have about 30 minutes of exercise a week. Could you increase to 35 minutes a week for the next three weeks? Once you have nailed 35 minutes for two to three weeks, go to 40 minutes. The idea here is that you build slowly, getting used to each step before moving on to the next step. Each step also improves your fitness so that the next step is not much more difficult than the previous one. From a time management perspective, adding an extra five minutes here and there is also a lot easier than finding 30- to 60-minute time slots.
If you're 150 minutes away right now, forget 150 for now. Suggest a goal that is "Oh, come on!" Is easy, then try again. You can track your progress with wearable devices, smartphone apps or a good old pen and paper. Regardless of your level of follow-up, it's important that you have a plan that you can follow and continue to try to raise the bar yourself – very gently.
Experts call physical activity the "best buy" in public health. And the guidelines are based on evidence from thousands of studies. Based on this evidence, a group of experts concluded that exercise increased our life expectancy, prevented sneaky annual weight gain and reduced the risk of almost all chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many cancers. No other behavior can do so much good for your health. By investing a little time in exercise now, you will be able to cash in later. Think of it as a 401 (k) plan for a long, healthy and happy life.
Of course, we do not always make decisions in our own long-term interest. We are more focused on immediate rewards and many of the benefits of physical activity for health take years to come. Some may be difficult to notice, such as preventing heart disease.
Fortunately, exercise has many immediate benefits. One of the most important is the "feel good" effect afterwards. People are constantly feeling more focused, less stressed and more energetic after physical activity. Studies now show that regular physical activity can actually reduce anxiety and depression, with effects equal to those of an antidepressant or a psychotherapy. We are all at a workout feeling better than we are currently doing.
A word of caution: be careful not to press too early. Exercising may seem unpleasant. Most people do not repeat unpleasant activities. Find something you like and have fun if you want the behavior change to continue. When you hear all the news about the new physical activity guidelines, try not to be discouraged. Put the numbers aside for the moment and just ask yourself, "How can I move a little more and sit a little less than I do now – and how can I be entertained?
You have that.
Conroy is a professor of kinesiology and human development at Pennsylvania State University. Pagoto is a professor of health sciences related to the University of Connecticut. This report was originally published on theconversation.com.
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