Author, Jo Craven McGinty, in her Wall Street Journal article (January 2021), informs us of numbers important for carrying out successful workout resolutions this year. She first cautions us to mark the calendar day of March 7. This is an important date because, according to one study, it takes 66 days to develop a new habit. Unfortunately, according to Gallup Polls, 80% of resolutions are broken by mid-February, with the most common vow of “exercise improvement” then lost in the shuffle.
McGinty adds, “Inadequate levels of physical activity are associated with $117 billion in annual health-care costs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and contribute to one in 10 premature deaths.” In fact, according to the U.S. organization, any amount of moderate to intense physical movement (exercise) can be helpful. The CDC recommends 150 to 300 minutes weekly of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 100 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity for healthier seniors. Also recommended are twice-weekly muscle-strengthening exercises of moderate or greater intensity. These should involve all major muscle groups.
Libby Richards, an associate professor in Purdue University’s School of Nursing explains, “In six weeks, you could notice a change in blood pressure independent of weight loss.” She continues, “You could tone up and have better blood-sugar control. You’ll likely sleep better, and you may have a better mood.”
While exercise is the more official form of movement, general daily activity, known as activities of daily living (ADL), includes mopping the floor, making the bed, carrying in the groceries, going to the mailbox, even walking from a distant parked car to a store, or taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Costco Connection, in its January 2020 publication, states, “At a minimum, a good target to shoot for with ADL is about an hour per day. This helps to maintain good circulation and keeps the metabolism idling and not stalling.”
Research suggests that the possibility of gaining your exercise in small and random amounts spread throughout the day may be even more beneficial than performing it all at one time.
According to Dr. Richards of the Frontiers in Public Health study, light-intensity activity now has become more appreciated for its health benefits, especially when done by sedentary folks. The more active and in shape you are, the more you have to do to see gains. People who are fairly inactive, however, don’t have to do much to start gaining physical health benefits. Dr. Richards comments, “It’s literally the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.” And that, Sun Citians, might make it a little easier to successfully resolve to “move” in 2021!
