Do you guys know that the government (more specifically the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC) releases info every few years as to what the minimum requirements Americans need to get health benefits? I think that this is pretty cool! They put millions of dollars (I’m sure) into studies and research to determine what we need to be healthy.
- 150 minutes (or 2 hours 30 min) of moderate-intensity activity per week
- 75 minutes (or 1 hour 15 min) of vigorous-intensity activity per week
Like hi. Spread throughout the week you can TOTALLY do that. Even if you split it into 10 minute segments. You can definitely get this done.
- 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity activity per week (that is only an hour a day during the week- not including Saturday!)
- 150 minutes (2 hours 30 min) of vigorous-intensity activity per week (30 minutes a day peeps…. not unreasonable at all!!)
Sooooo what does moderate and what does vigorous mean?
Honestly, this will be different for every person based on what your fitness level is right now. You’ll have to decide for yourself (using tools like a heart rate monitor can be very helpful for determining where you should be). Brisk walking may be vigorous for one person and moderate for another. Again, it all depends on where you are right now!
If you need help figuring out where you should be or start, just email me! I’ll do whatever I can to point you in the right direction.
As much as I love cardio weights are just as important! My two favorite benefits of weight lifting is that you actually burn more calories throughout the day (more muscles = a higher metabolism) and your bones can actually get stronger. I know that lots of women suffer from osteoporosis (where your bones get more porous and not as strong) as they age. I don’t know about you but if I can avoid a hip replacement I sure as heck want to.
I love THIS article from Women’s Health Magazine. Super easy to understand and really encouraging!
- Strength train 2 or more days of the week and be sure to work all of your major muscle groups at least once throughout the week
What are the major muscle groups? Literally all you have to do is split your body into sections: arms, shoulders, chest, abs, back, and legs. Easy peasy right?
Bottoms: Nordstrom, found in store, similar HERE
Shoes: JCPenny, found in store, similar HERE
Photography: Sarah Arnoff Photos