Exercise, for the Health of It!

If we offered you a daily pill that would reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, certain cancers, improve your mood, manage your weight and help you get a good night’s sleep, would you take it?  Chances are your answer would be yes.  Believe it or not, this magical pill is exercise!
As you devise you 2012 New Year's Resolutions, we challenge all of you to exercise for your health first, and the other benefits will come in time.  Don't forget that each step you take truly is preventative medicine.

Exercise Guidelines from the CDC
*150 minutes/week of moderate intensity exercise (see examples below)
(you can also look at it this way...20 minutes 7 days/week or 30 minutes 5 days/week)


Or if you like to exercise with more intensity here are your guidelines:


*75 minutes/week of vigorous intensity exercise (see examples below)


*Remember, if just beginning a program, start easy and progress to these guidelines!


Examples of Moderate Intensity Exercise:

• walking briskly (3mph or faster)
• water aerobics
• bicycling (10mph or slower)
• tennis (doubles)
• ballroom dancing

Examples of Vigorous Intensity Exercise:

• walking (faster than 3mph), jogging, running
• swimming laps
• tennis singles
• aerobic dance 
• bicycling (10mph or faster)
• jumping rope
• heavy, continuous gardening (digging, hoeing with a heart rate increase)
• hiking uphill