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Selecting the right dose of exercise

The goal of exercise is to burn 1000 calories per day

STRETCH AND PREEN It won't burn calories but stretching is the way to start your exercise

Adults should lead an active life to be healthy, but exactly how active? A lot of research has gone into working out the guidelines for people at different stages in the exercise spectrum.

Current research says that if you do not exercise regularly, you should begin by doing a few minutes of physical activity each day, gradually building up to 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activities.

If you are somewhat active but not doing the bare minimum recommended above, you should exercise more consistently and aim for moderate-intensity exercise for 30 minutes or more on five or more days of the week, or vigorous-intensity physical activity for 20 minutes or more on three or more days of the week.

"Moderate-intensity exercise" burns 3.5 to 7 calories per minute (kcal/min). This is equivalent to walking briskly, dancing, swimming for recreation, playing cricket, cycling on a level road, gardening, doing housework, and hand-washing a car. Even playing the guitar in a rock band constitutes "moderate-intensity" exercise!

"Vigorous-intensity exercise" burns more than 7 calories per minute (kcal/min). This is equivalent to jogging, high-impact aerobic dancing,

swimming continuous laps, or bicycling uphill. Other vigorous intensity activities include race-walking, wheeling one's wheelchair, mountaineering,

doing martial arts, soccer, squash, badminton, rapid shovelling and other farm work.

The goal is to burn approximately 1000 calories per day. This is what any person needs to do even to achieve weight loss. Of course, food intake must

be steady to achieve a net calorie deficit.

Children need higher durations of exercise. Current guidelines recommend that children and teens participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate

intensity physical activity on most days of the week. There is no reason why most seniors will not be able to match the recommendations for moderate exercise in adults. Those with disabilities and chronic health conditions may need to tailor their activities as per their physician's recommendations. They should also engage in flexibility training, but doing yoga and other stretching exercises is not a substitute for the weight training that is so beneficial for elderly adults.

RAJIV. M

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