Finding Time to Exercise is Easier Than You Think

Answer: Standard exercise guidelines call for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. [For people aged 65 and older, the CDC also recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus 2 days week of muscle-strengthening and activities to improve balance.] But like you, many people have trouble reaching this mark.

Often the barrier is thinking these requirements take too much time and effort. In addition, other people don’t enjoy aerobic workouts or have physical or medical issues that make traditional cardio exercise a challenge.

The first step to overcoming these obstacles is to break down the time commitment into manageable segments. For example, 150 minutes is 2.5 hours, which comes to 30 minutes five days a week, or about 20 minutes daily. And you don’t have to do those 20 to 30 minutes all at once. You can further divide into two or three 10-minute daily segments.

Next, change your perception of “moderate intensity.” People automatically feel overwhelmed because it sounds difficult, but this level of exertion is not as physically demanding as people may think and is quite doable. A simple measure of moderate-intensity exercise is the “talk test”: you’re at the right level if you’re exercising hard enough to break a sweat but can still comfortably hold a conversation.

Any kind of movement that gets the heart rate up, speeds up your breathing, and makes you sweat a little counts as aerobic exercise. The best exercise is the one you enjoy. But don’t assume you are limited to traditional activities like running, cycling, swimming, or tennis. There are other options that may better fit your interests, comfort level, and ability. Here are some examples.

• Brisk walking. Walking at a brisk pace is a simple moderate-intensity workout.
• Stair climbing. Set a timer for five to 10 minutes and go up and down stairs at a casual pace.
• Treadmill. The trusty treadmill can be an excellent cardio tool, as you can adjust the incline and speed to reach the required intensity.
• Marching in place. You don’t need a lot of space for cardio. For instance, try marching in place when you are on the phone or watching television.
• Housework. Many household chores count as moderate-intensity exercises. Examples include mowing the lawn, raking leaves, digging and planting, washing the car, and vacuuming.
• Weight training. Guidelines also recommend doing weight training on at least two days of the week to help build and maintain muscle mass. But this also can be a way to add in some moderate-intensity aerobics. Doing weight training exercises in a circuit fashion, where you move from one exercise to the next with little to no rest, can elevate the heart rate enough to provide cardio benefits.

Almost any kind of movement can qualify if done with enough effort, making finding time to exercise easier than you might think.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu.

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