Two Minutes of Walking Counts in New Physical Activity Guidelines
You don't have to do a huge amount of physical activity for it to have a big impact on your health according to the new edition of the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
Take the stairs up to your office. Park a little further away from the grocery store. Walk your dog around the block. Carry out the trash. Just do something, anything, and it will help.
Previously, the guidelines stated that unless physical activity lasted at least ten minutes, it didn't count toward a person's recommended weekly activity goals. But research has shown that even small spurts of activity provide a solid contribution to a person's health.
Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said in a news release, "The new guidelines demonstrate that, based on the best science, everyone can dramatically improve their health just by moving -- anytime, anywhere and by any means that gets you active."
The weekly recommended amount of activity remains the same for adults-- at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity with muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days.
Dr. Eileen Handberg, a professor of cardiovascular medicine with the University of Florida's College of Medicine adds, " You need to get out and be active, whether you're a child or an adult, whether you're a pregnant woman, whether you have chronic disease -- there's no group that isn't affected by these guidelines...tt's the cheapest prescription in the world, but most people don't want to fill it."