I want to be just like her when I grow up!Image from Longetivity.About.com
According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, women need 60 minutes of moderate daily exercise to maintain their weight as they age. Previously, federal guidelines suggested that women of middle-age and older should strive for 30 minutes of intense activity 5 times per week. This recommendation is for women who consume a "normal" diet. I'm not sure what constitutes "a normal diet". Do you?
Some of the recommended activities for achieving that 60 minutes included jogging, biking, aerobics, exercise machines, racquetball or swimming. You may recall my post from last week "What's Age Got to Do With It" where I discussed strength training as a means of fending off those unwanted pounds as we age. I would be curious to know how many women in the study regularly strength trained as a form of exercise.
The issue that I have with studies like this one is that there are so many variables. The type and intensity of activity being performed, for instance, could impact the results. As well, unless constantly monitored, subjects in studies could be guilty of misreporting. After all, it wouldn't be unheard of for a subject to fudge a little about what they ate or how much activity they performed.
Overall, I think that it is unrealistic to expect women to exercise 60 minutes each and every day. Perhaps when I reach menopause I'll change my tune. For now, 45-60 minutes of intense activity 4-5 days each week works for me.
What do you think? Is this an achievable standard?
I tend to agree with you on the variables... There are so many.
ReplyDeleteBut I do think it's attainable to get in an hour a day. Maybe not all at once, but maybe 20 mins here or 30 mins there? You know, like if you went for a walk at lunch and then later that night went and played softball or something?
The biggest thing is to make it a priority and stick with it.
As someone whose really trying to make these LIFELONG changes, 60 minutes is daunting and every day?!
ReplyDeleteIf that wouldn't send me over the edge...
I'm sure it might be healthy but with so many people already NOT working out...come on now... that's definitely scaring off a few!
I think 30 minutes is a good medium place to start. THen working my way up to what helps me lose weight. I know that 30 min of cardio and 30 min of strength helped me maintain last time.
ReplyDeleteWell...I'm 39 and maintain my weight without exercise. Some days I exercise for a half an hour or so. I've found that if I want to lose weight, I have to stick to around 1000-1200 calories a day. If I want to maintain, it's 1800 calories. (I've done Weight Watchers for a while, if you can't tell!) Maybe this will change as I get older, but the basic math is, if you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. To maintain, it has to be about even. You NATURALLY burn less calories as you get older...so you have to exercise to supplement it if you want to keep eating the same.
ReplyDeleteI think 60 minutes of activity is achievable when it doesn't have to be a focused 60 minutes. Go for a 10 minute walk in the morning, park further away from the store, take the stairs, etc.
ReplyDeleteA focused 60 minutes each and every day? Not realistic for most people. If you consider that most people work 8 hours, sleep 8 hours, and spend a couple hours in transport, there's only about 6 hours left in the day - and alot of that is automatically eaten up by things like showering, cooking, etc. So, to follow that recommendation, people have to spend 20% or more of their free time exercising.
I count walking and generally being active (cleaning, walking the dog, etc.) as exercise. So, yes, I think an hour a day is achievable!
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a bit of a stretch (no pun intended, I just realized!). Plus, as you noted Karen, their statement is nebulous at best. 60 minutes 7 days a week? 5 days? An hour a day works for some but not for others. Such sweeping recommendations can overwhelm people and probably help some declare - well, if I can't do that much, I might as well not do it at all! Anything is better than nothing. They should be more specific and note that their recommendation is optimal conditioning, perhaps.
ReplyDelete60 minutes every day is difficult to fit in, but I think if it's feasible then it's a great goal to aim for. I don't think anyone can knock taking a few rest days, though!
ReplyDeleteI think 60 minutes of exercise calls for redefining what we consider to be exercise. I agree with Deb that lifestyle changes like parking farther away from the office or store, perhaps jogging up the stairs, making more trips rather than less trips back and forth to bring in groceries -- all those little things will add up.
ReplyDeleteI tend to forget about those kinds of things and feel bad about myself if I don't go to the gym for a focused workout every day. Maybe on days I miss the gym I can rev up my everyday activities?
yikes! 60 minutes each day is a lot! doesn't the body need to rest in between so the muscles have time to repair?
ReplyDeleteIts hard enough sometimes to get 30 mins in a day! Love your blog so I have given you an award, you can get it over at my blog!
ReplyDeleteI think most people can find 30 minutes a day to take a walk, and really get in an hours worth of activity if they really want to. That said, I feel the real message here is to eat a healthy diet (eat less) if you are looking for the most effective way to lose weight and use healthy eating as part of a maintenance plan with exercise.
ReplyDeleteI am doing a post on this next week so I will not write too much BUT I will say you mentioned you do intense exercise & that makes a difference vs. what the general population does that does not always do "intense" exercise. Also, I was already doing pretty hard cardio & strength training when my body started to change so I do think women need to pay attention to their bodies as some change earlier than others. With all I do, I still had to up the intensity & cut back on calories...although I already eat more than normal women... so I do have a different take on this.
ReplyDeleteI just think it is good for women to know that their bodies do change with age.
I know for myself, that I feel better if I can squeeze in closer to 60 than 30 minutes of activity a day. Perhaps if this is spread out throughout the day, it wouldn't seem so daunting. Who knows? The key is to move and be consistent about it. I don't think it matters how old you are or if you are a guy or a girl.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Missa
LosingEthel
I totally agree. I actually saw that study when it came out (we get it delivered with a plethora of other new info to our inboxes thru school) and I thought "wow, I remember the days in the 80s and 90s that 30 minutes 3x per week was the recommendation." Are we just getting fatter, so they keep upping the recc? Has technology made us more sedentary, so more is necessary? Because I am with you 60 minutes daily is ambitious and unrealistic for many women for the rest of their life. I'm just trying to get to 60 minutes 5x per week!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteA few days ago you posted a comment on my blog and I just wanted to say thank you for the lovely comment.
I've enjoyed looking around your blog and will be visiting you often! Take Care :)
Diane
I found this recommendation interesting, and also unrealistic. I mean come on, 60 minutes everyday??? Yeah right!! Maybe once you are retired, but if you work and have a family, that's just not realistic for most women (or men for that matter). I think it all depends on the person. Some people have better self control and have healthy diets, so 30 minutes 5 days a week might be just fine. Some people are more active during the day, so 60 minutes may not be necessary.
ReplyDeleteI read your comment about URban Active the other day. It's true that their trainers focus more on resistance training than cardio. They say 60% resistance, 20% cardio, 20% diet. I don't know about that. I may up the cardio, and again I think it depends on the person!
I think 30 minutes a day is very do-able, 60 is tough to meet every day. I think this study was interesting, but agree about defining a "normal" diet.
ReplyDeleteI am 100% with Jody on this one. For exercise to make a difference in one's aesthetic, there must be a level of frequency and intensity -- straight up; it's called working out for a reason.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that when people don't pollute their bodies with garbage, the need for intensity minimizes.
I walk almost every day.Also I have a indoor bike and use it for bad weather days:)But sometimes It's difficult to make it 60 minutes.
ReplyDeleteMost of days only 30 minutes.
I'd also like to see strength training recommended as one of the physical activities. A current school of thought is that weight gain as we age is not inevitable: the slowed metabolism is the result of losing muscle. So a great way to combat that would be increasing strength training as we get older.
ReplyDelete60 minutes may not be realistic, but I can't really argue with it either. Many of us get almost no physical activity whatsoever apart from our workouts. Changes in society and technology have allowed us (or forced us) into a level of sedentariness that's just not normal or healthy for our bodies, coupled with the ability to easily and cheaply obtain more food than we need.
To me, the most striking thing about the report is that it's making me ask Why don't we have more time available in our days, and why don't we get more exercise just as a natural part of our lives.
For most people it probably is achievable, but rather or not most people who are physically capable of doing it or not is another thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this - I found it very interesting when I read it in the newspaper.
Is it 60 minutes all at the same time?
ReplyDeleteI get in 40 minutes of a very fast paced walk at least 6 times a week and the rest of each day I am on the move all day except for my blogging time.
I think it is a good goal to try and work towards.
I usually do 30 to 40 minutes of exercise on most days of the week - I work full time and write a blog and do housework, etc. And I'm sure many women are as busy or busier than I am, so this goal of 60 minutes a day would be difficult for many. I think I could do 60 minutes a day if I could get up earlier in the morning and do 30 minutes then, and 30 minutes in the evening. But then again, sometimes it's tough just to do what I do now!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to agree with you 100%.
ReplyDeleteI work out just like you, 4-5 times a week for 45-60 min. each. The thought of having to do more than that makes me weak in the knees. I have to have a life, but I hate to sacrifice my health. There has to be another way.
Nice blog, by the way. I'm pregnant with my third child and always very healthy conscience.
You inspired me! I wrote about this with a big link to your blog today.
ReplyDeleteIn my life right now I find I need/want that 60 minutes of exercise every day. Its not always 60 minutes of high intensity, but I know I don't feel the same without it. I know there was a point in my life I would never have imagined saying this, but I think its achievable if we make it a priority and get creative.
ReplyDeleteI easily average more than 60 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise every day, plus some weight training. I usually do more than an hour 5-6 days a week and take a day or two off, but I still average an hour a day or more. I shoot for total calories burned more than actual time, though. I think it's doable.
ReplyDeleteBut the study says this is what's needed WITHOUT diet change. If you change your diet, you can exercise less.