IF THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE COULD BE CONTAINED IN A PILL, IT WOULD BE THE #1 PRESCRIBED MEDICATION IN THE WORLD.

The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 2.5-5 hours of moderate-intensity, or 1.25-2.5 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Broken down by day, that equals:

30-60 minutes per day, 5 days per week for moderate intensity.
15-30 minutes per day, 5 days per week for vigorous intensity.

Muscle strengthening exercise at least twice a week for approx. 15-30 minutes is also recommended. Preferably, time spent on exercise is spread out across multiple days of the week. However, the time spent on an activity can be broken up into chunks (Ex. 10 minutes), rather than one long continuous exercise session.

For intensity levels, at a moderate level you should be able to talk, but not sing. Whereas at a vigorous level, you should not be able to speak in sentences, only yes or no responses would be possible.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

**Reduction of:** depression, anxiety, blood pressure, osteoporosis, and some cancers.
**Improvement of:** cardiovascular health, metabolic health, brain health, insulin sensitivity, “good” cholesterol, and sleep quality.

The most important thing is to find something you enjoy doing!

If you hate it, you will not stick with it. Much like diet, there is no one perfect exercise for everyone. I personally love dance exercise classes, like Jazzercise or Zumba. Other activities could include; walking, hiking, running, biking, swimming, rowing, tennis, soccer, basketball, or anything else that gets you moving! Your body and mind will thank you!