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Experts Now Recommend 30-60 Minutes of Exercise, Everyday?

This is the latest advice to the public and many are surprised at the sheer quantity and confused as to what constitutes exercise.

Finding 30-60 minutes exercise per day may involve drastic measures...

Finding the time

For those of us with busy lives, fitting this into a day is not going to be easy. Little time is left after a job, commuting, laundry, cooking and everything else. After a busy day do you feel like exercising anyway? It will be a struggle at first, but many people are managing it and are reaping the rewards.

Dramatically reduced incidence of illness, you look and feel better, sleep better, there are so many benefits it's worth making an effort. For a beginner 30-60 minutes of exercise everyday is far too much anyway. You need to start much lower and build up gradually. Too much too soon will just leave you injured.

Where to begin...

Benefits can be obtained from nearly any activity that increases the rate of breathing. These can include gardening, brisk walking, climbing stairs. Any activity that requires an effort and preferably one that can be done for a set period of time. Use the following notes as a guide and allow an adjustment for your health, age, weight, experience, progress etc.

Week 1 to 4

Type - Light exercise
Frequency - 2 to 3 days per week
Duration - 10 minutes per day increase weekly by 5 minutes until 30 mins per day is reached

Week 5 to 13 (Continue to slowly increase duration and intensity)

Type - Light to moderate
Frequency - 2 to 4 days per week
Duration - 20 to 40 minutes per day depending on the activity.

Week 13 to lifetime (Adjust for general health, condition & ensure activity is enjoyable)

Type - Moderate to vigorous
Frequency - 3 to 6 days per week
Duration - 30 minutes or more per day depending on the activity

As you progress the exercise you do will start to feel easier, this is when real benefits of regular physical activity begin and you'll feel it.

Tennis may be a good sport to enhance your routine...

Join clubs and organizations

Exercising on you own is all good fun but not half as enjoyable as having a regular partner with you. Better still are sports and team games. With these you'll have like minded people to play with and some healthy competition.

Playing with others will keep your interest and you'll be able to test your ability. There maybe clubs you could join. Sports clubs and organizations can often open up a whole new way of life and can be very rewarding.

But, for now...

Remember all those benefits to regular physical activity and make time to exercise. Find a specific time of day and make it a habit. Join a gym or health club for the convenience of a one stop exercise shop.

With regards to exercising every single day, even elite athletes would recommend one day off a week, you need to rest and recover at some point. Be sure to include exercise in your life and discover what it can do for you.

Calories burned every 10 mins
Running	130
Swimming	105
Basketball	90
Tennis	75
Aerobics	68
Cycling	65
Walking	50
Gardening	46
Sleeping	11

Light exercise

Light housework
Walking
Golf
Gardening

Moderate exercise

Badminton
Rowing
Cycling
Rollerblading

Vigorous exercise

Running
Tennis
Hockey
Basketball

Fact

The average person will have walked, in their lifetime, the equivalent of 3 times around the earth.