We all know that regular physical activity has a variety of health benefits and can help with weight loss. But wouldn't it be nice to know how much you need to exercise daily in order to prevent weight problems in the first place? According to a new study, an hour of moderate-intensity exercise each day could be the magic number. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that one hour of moderate-intensity exercise each day was enough to help middle age and older women maintain a normal weight. And if they were able to exercise vigorously, just 30 minutes each day was enough to help normal-weight women maintain their weight. This also assumed the women had a normal, healthy diet. The study followed over 34,000 women for 13 years. Their average age was 54. Overall, participants gained an average of 5.7 pounds over the 13 years, which is considered normal for the general population. But the women who exercised for 60 minutes daily tended to gain fewer pounds than average, compared to those who exercised less. What kinds of activities count? Moderate-intensity activities would include things like brisk walking, playing with kids, household chores, and casual biking. Vigorous-intensity activities would include things like running, swimming laps, high impact aerobics, and basketball. And if you're not able to do a full 60 minutes of exercise each day, don't despair. You can still get health benefits from less because some is definitely better than none. The results of this study did not apply to overweight and obese individuals. Numerous studies have looked at how exercise can help people lose weight, but this is one of the few to look at preventing weight-gain over time in normal-weight individuals. What do you think? If you're someone who is trying to maintain your weight, what amount of exercise works best for you? |
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