Healthy Lifestyle

The aerobic exercise is an important part of an exercise routine. It might be the first thing you think of when you think of exercise. Let’s break down the aerobic exercise recommendation and discuss why they are so important to health, well-being, and living a lifestyle that supports strength and longevity. 

What is the aerobic exercise recommendation?

We talked about the aerobic exercise recommendation in a previous post, but let’s break it down further. The physical activity recommendations for Americans recommend the following:

At least 150 minutes moderate intensity exercise

Moderate intensity exercise is being able to talk in short sentences while you’re working out. Completing 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise could look like 30 minutes 5 days a week.  It could also look like 2 days a week of an hour of exercise and then a 3rd day of 30 minutes. Another option might be 50 minutes of exercise 3 days a week. All of these options are great as well as any others you come up with to meet the minimum 150 minutes.

Examples of moderate intensity aerobic exercise are:

• Brisk walking
• Light jogging
• Riding your bike
• Using the elliptical
• Leisure swimming
• Dancing

At least 75 minutes vigorous intensity exercise

Vigorous intensity exercise is only being able to talk in very short phrases while working out. Completing 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise could look like 25 minutes 3 days a week. I like this option because for 25 minutes, you can keep a high intensity pretty well without completely crushing yourself. But there are many ways to break out that 75 minutes over a week’s time.

Examples of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise are:

• High intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Running and sprinting
• Fast-paced bike ride
• Swimming laps
• Aerobics classes like HI fitness, kickboxing, and Zumba
• Sports with lots of running in it like basketball, soccer, and hockey

What to do to meet the aerobic exercise recommendation

To meet this goal, you can complete at 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, at 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise, or a combination of both. These options are great for those of us that are prioritizing regular exercise but may have days when we’re short on time. Maybe one week, you can hit 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, another week you opt for the 75 minutes of vigorous intensity, and a different week complete a combination of both to get those health benefits.

Why it’s important to meet the aerobic exercise recommendation

There are many health benefits that come with meeting the aerobic exercise recommendation.

Improves cardiorespiratory health. Your lungs, heart, and veins that move blood throughout your body and back to your heart are stronger and more efficient. This is where things start to feel easier like walking for longer amounts of time or taking the stairs without feeling overly winded afterwards.

Improves insulin sensitivity. A 2017 review of the research confirmed that regular exercise helps to improve insulin sensitivity which is an important factor in controlling blood sugar.

Lowers blood pressure. With a stronger heart, it takes less work for your heart to pump blood out. Thus reducing or keeping your blood pressure low or within the recommended range. Aerobic exercise is one way to build your heart’s strength!

Decreases stress. With more oxygen and blood flow to your brain from exercise, your brain is able to produce more endorphins. Endorphins are what make us feel good. It can also help take your mind off things that are causing stress. 

Improves mood. A pilot study of 12 men and women (mean age 49) looking at aerobic exercise and depression found a reduction in depression scores. They completed 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill for 10 days.

Improves sleep. Aerobic exercise can wear us out in a good way, improving our sleep quality. Avoid exercising too close to bed (1-2 hours) though because the endorphins that you get can increase your energy and keep you awake. Researchers have found that exercise increases the amount of deep sleep we get, the kind our brains and body need for true recovery and rejuvenation. 

Improves brain power. Exercise can reduce brain tissue loss as we age. In other words, it helps to keep our brains sharp, which is what we need to get things done!

The benefits listed above impact our general health and well-being but also our everyday life. Having to worry less about some of these items allows us to focus on the other things that are important in our lives. A strong heart, mind, and body can go a long way in feeling powerful and energetic when we show up for ourselves and for others.

Next Steps:  Get started on building up to the aerobic exercise recommendation. Take a look at where you are at now. Slowly build up every week until you get to the recommended number. Already there? See how many weeks you can go in a row hitting it. Let me know how it’s going!

Until next time! -Atim