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We all need physical activity to be healthy. People who exercise regularly, or who make physical activity part of their daily routine, feel better mentally and physically, improve their health, and increase their chances of staying fit and independent as they age.
How much physical activity is necessary to receive these health benefits?
We maintain that adults should try to accumulate a minimum of 30 minutes (in at least 10-minute segments) of moderate (brisk) physical activity most or all days of the week. If weight loss and maintenance is a goal, up the work-out time to 45-60 minutes. Activities such as walking, housework, yard work, gardening, job activities, sports and recreation, and structured exercise count toward the total.
 | Aerobic exercise: (brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, dancing, etc), 3-5 times/week, for 20-60 minutes at a comfortably challenging intensity |
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| Strength training: (free weights, weight machines, elastic bands, and calisthenics: sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, etc), 2-3 times/week, 1-2 sets of 8-12 repetitions |
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| Some mind/body-oriented options: Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates |
These recommendations provide the flexibility to encourage you to develop a relationship with physical activity that fits comfortably into your lifestyle and meets your personal needs.
At the Benson-Henry Institute, we consider exercise not just a physical regime, but an opportunity to gain self-awareness and enhance spiritual growth. In ancient traditions, physical activity and exercise had a focus that was more spiritual than physical. Its purpose was to cultivate the mind and spirit while rejuvenating the body, and harmonious perfection of body/mind/soul was the ultimate goal.
In a similar fasion, we view exercise as an opportunity to learn more about yourself. This state of awareness can be achieved by combining elicitation of the relaxation response with your activity, bringing awareness into the present as your exercise unfolds. This allows you to make choices about the activity you do.
Exercise focus can and should vary on a day-to-day basis depending on need, mood and intent. Some days you may want to focus on the more physical aspects of the activity, other days you may want to let your creativity run, or you may want to quiet your mind for relaxation. By listening to your body, and learning to appreciate what feels right for you, you can adjust your exercise practice to enhance emotional, spiritual and physical health.
This also makes the exercise more interesting and helps with long-term compliance. Instead of exercising because you "have to," you do it because you want to; it becomes part of who you are. This approach is exercise for the whole person and can bring true "health" rather than just "fitness."
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