Is there a way to fit the recommended amount of exercise into your life? Elizabeth Tracey reports
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You already know that exercise is an important part of a healthy life, but how can you fit in the recommended number of minutes each week? Kerry Stewart, a cardiovascular health expert at Johns Hopkins, says current thinking on how to do so has changed.
Stewart: When the guidelines were first published they were based on a lot of research at the time. That is also evolved even though the recommendation is to try to do 30 minutes at a time five times a week that can be broken down. If you can do 10 minutes three times a day or even 5 minutes six times a day, just being active and not being a couch potato is also very helpful. The less sedentary you are the better, even if it means just getting up and taking a short walk for two or three minutes that also contributes to heart health. :32
Kerry says the benefits of simply getting up and moving for brief periods during the day may even allow you not to break a sweat, although working that hard brings additional rewards. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.