Health - Target Activity Level

From blog: Why It’s Never Too Late to Get Moving

Over time, skipping the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week increases the risks of weight gain, lowers metabolism, impairs immune function, causes hormonal imbalances and increases inflammation. A sedentary lifestyle also impacts your heart health.

“Exercise lowers your blood pressure, improves your HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, lowers your LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol and reduces stress, which all decrease your risk of heart disease,”

 “Sedentary behavior such as sitting or reclining for extended periods increases the risk of heart disease [and] we found that intervening with the right dose of exercise was effective in reversing the effects of sedentary aging on the heart.”

The “right dose” of exercise is key, according to Howden.

Participants needed to exercise at least four times per week to overcome the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle; fewer sessions were not adequate for improving heart health, the research showed.

In the study, participants exercised for 30 minutes (plus warm-up and cool-down sessions) 4–5 times per week. At least one of those weekly sessions included a high-intensity workout with heart rates hitting 95% of peak; one session per week emphasized moderate-intensity activities and lasted an hour. The program also included two weekly sessions of strength training.

If going from couch potato to exercising four (or more) days per week feels daunting, take heed: Participants in the study started off with fewer sessions of moderate-intensity exercise to build up their fitness levels.

“You’re not going to be an Olympic athlete when you start and that’s OK,” Goldberg says. “Take small steps and remember that any amount of exercise is better than none at all.”