Written by Dr Sandra Miranda, ND

Exercise is medicine! Sure… but you may be dreading those long sweaty hours at the gym even though deep down you know that is exactly what you should be doing.

Exercise offers so many health benefits that it really does not compare to any supplement, to any diet or to any medication that you may be taking.   Not only does exercise shape your body, but it also builds muscle, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, increases energy and vitality, improves quality of sleep by reducing stress and tension, improves your mood and mental performance and so much more.

But how much exercise is enough?

The question that you should really ask yourself, is how much exercise is enough for what?

You first want to clarify what your goals are:  are you exercising to lose weight, to boost your metabolism, to relieve stress, to build muscle, etc.

We consider the following to be a mild amount of exercise:

• Either 30 min of vigorous exercises (like running) 5 x week (that is 150 minutes per week)
• Or 60 minutes of non-vigorous (such as moderately brisk walking) 5 x week (that is 300 minutes)

For general health, a moderate brisk walk may be sufficient but if you have a more specific goal (such as losing weight or lowering your blood pressure, etc) then you may need a higher intensity level of exercise.

But the key is to be consistent because all of these wonderful benefits that you can get from exercise last only as long as you make it a regular part of your life. This is why it is important to select activities that you enjoy and that you can commit to.