November 2007, Brett

Survival of the Fittest

You have been lied to. At least, that is what a recent report has to say about how many people perceive the recommendations for physical activity. There has been an effort in the past to encourage at least 30 minutes of activity, focusing in the past 5 years or so on moderate intensity activities. But it appears that we have left out some very important emphasis on higher intensity activities.

Moderate intensity activity can be as simple as housework, gardening, or walking briskly for many people. In a survey of people between the ages of 18 and 65, researchers found that most of the people who responded felt that moderate intensity activities were just as effective in promoting health as were vigorous activities. It seems somewhat odd that someone would think a walk would provide the same benefit as competition level running, but that is the result of trying to reach out to all people without discouraging them. The recommendations do include the statement that more time spent in activity as well as more intensity will give you better results, but that message is often lost in the flashing lights and whistles of a catchy 30 minute phrase.

The advantage of using moderate intensity as the guideline is that intensity is different for everyone. While a walk in the park may be low intensity for someone in great shape, it would be vigorous for someone who has been inactive for a long time. Since we have encouraged the use of moderate intensity, that approach which allows for continuous improvement, making what was vigorous in the past to be moderate now. Of course there is a limit we all will reach, and the goal is not to create a nation of Olympians. However, it would be nice to decrease the number of people who are in the 25% of the population who reported no leisure time activity in the past month.

What does this mean? If you are not doing any activity, try to get 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity at least 5 days of the week. If you have been doing moderate intensity activity for a while now, say at least 6 weeks, it is a good idea to try bumping up that intensity at least once a week. Try going to a high school track and walking the corners while running the straight sections. Tackle some hills on your daily walk. It doesn’t have to be for very long, but even small improvements can lead to great results. Focus on adding some vigorous activity to your moderate workouts, your risk for heart disease will decrease, weight management will be easier, and your fitness level will increase. Notice the time spent in activity doesn’t necessarily have to change; you can fit little bits of increased intensity in the same time.

If you have questions on this, or any other fitness topic, contact Brett McIff at bmciff@utah.gov. You can also join the Move It! listserv for weekly emails on hot fitness topics by sending an email to join-moveit@list.utah.gov. Keep Moving!