Understanding How Long 150 Minutes Is For Exercise
Getting 150 minutes of exercise per week is a common recommendation from health organizations. But what exactly does 150 minutes of exercise look like? How long is this amount of time for working out and how can you fit it into your schedule?
Here is an in-depth look at what 150 minutes of exercise entails, why this amount is recommended, and tips for accumulating this target time for physical activity each week.
Exercise Guidelines
Most major health organizations provide guidelines for the recommended amount of physical activity per week. Here are exercise recommendations from leading groups:
- World Health Organization (WHO): 150-300 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
- American Heart Association (AHA): At least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 150-300 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
- US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): At least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
As you can see, most major health organizations agree that 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week is the minimum recommendation.
Why 150 Minutes Per Week?
The 150 minutes per week guideline is based on extensive research on the amount of physical activity needed for meaningful health benefits. Some key study findings include:
- Exercising for 150 minutes per week significantly reduces risks of chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
- Meeting the 150 minute goal is linked to a reduced risk of premature death by up to 30% compared to inactive adults.
- Just 75-90 minutes of moderate activity per week provides some health benefits, but 150 minutes per week maximizes benefits.
- Exceeding 150 minutes per week by exercising more provides additional health gains.
In summary, research strongly supports that 150 minutes per week is the minimum threshold where you start to see substantial improvements in health, wellbeing, disease reduction, and longevity.
How Long Is 150 Minutes of Exercise?
150 minutes of exercise per week may sound like a lot. But when you break it down, it equates to just 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days per week. Here are more ways to visualize 150 minutes per week of exercise:
- 2 hours and 30 minutes total per week
- Just over 20 minutes per day
- 75 minutes of vigorous exercise like jogging or swimming laps
- 5 days of 30-minute moderate workouts
- 60 minutes of moderate exercise 3 days per week
- 3 days of 50-minute vigorous workouts
As you can see, getting 150 minutes is manageable when you spread it out over the whole week. It’s just a matter of making exercise a regular habit by working it into your schedule.
Moderate vs Vigorous Exercise
One key point in the 150 minute recommendation is that it refers to moderate or vigorous exercise. What is the difference between the two?
Moderate exercise increases your heart rate but allows you to carry on a conversation during the activity. Brisk walking, leisurely biking, and recreational swimming are examples of moderate exercise.
Vigorous exercise significantly elevates heart rate to the point where you cannot say more than a few words without needing to catch your breath. Examples include jogging, intensive cycling, competitive sports, and circuit training.
Vigorous exercise burns more calories per minute. But moderate activity has health and fitness benefits too and is often easier to sustain for longer durations.
Health Benefits of 150 Minutes of Exercise
Getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week provides many science-backed health benefits:
1. Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to help prevent common diseases like obesity, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and various cancers. Meeting the 150 minute per week recommendation significantly reduces your risk of developing these conditions.
2. Strengthens the Heart
Exercise improves cardiovascular fitness, which allows the heart to pump more blood with less effort. It also decreases inflammation, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure - all of which promote heart health.
3. Normalizes Blood Sugar
Exercise helps regulate blood glucose levels by making your cells more sensitive to insulin. This effect helps prevent and manage type 2 diabetes.
4. Controls Weight
Physical activity, especially when combined with a healthy diet, aids weight loss and maintenance. Exercise helps burn extra calories and builds metabolism-boosting muscle.
5. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Exercise boosts feel-good endorphins, distracts from worries, and improves self-esteem – all benefits for mental health. It also helps normalize stress hormone levels.
6. Boosts Energy Levels
Regular physical activity increases energy by enhancing circulation, oxygen delivery, and alertness. Moving more combats fatigue.
7. Strengthens Bones and Muscles
The right types of exercise help build and maintain bone density and muscle mass. This effect reduces risk of osteoporosis and injuries.
8. Supports Brain Health
Exercise stimulates growth of new brain cells. It also improves memory and overall cognitive functioning according to research.
9. Improves Sleep Quality
Regular exercise helps you fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly, and wake up less often during the night.
10. May Extend Lifespan
Studies link meeting exercise recommendations like 150 minutes per week to a significantly lower risk of dying early from any cause.
Tips to Get 150 Minutes of Exercise Per Week
Reaching the recommended 150 minutes per week often requires making exercise a consistent habit. Here are tips to help you get 150 minutes of activity in each week:
1. Schedule Workouts
Mark exercise sessions in your calendar or planner like you would any other appointment. This makes them a higher priority rather than something you can easily skip.
2. Include Variety
Aim for a mix of endurance exercise, strength training, flexibility/balance activities, and lighter movement like walking. Variety makes exercise more beneficial and enjoyable.
3. Multitask
Do activities with exercise built-in like walking while talking on the phone, exercising with a friend, or taking a yoga class. This allows you to fit in fitness without taking time away from other tasks.
4. Track Your Minutes
Use a journal, app, or wearable device to monitor your activity minutes. Awareness helps you progressively reach your 150 minute goal.
5. Start Slowly
If new to exercise, increase duration and intensity gradually. Even 10 minutes at a time counts, and doing something is better than nothing.
6. Make It Fun
Pick exercises you enjoy doing like dancing, hiking, swimming, or cycling. Having fun keeps you motivated to maintain an active lifestyle.
7. Recruit Help
Exercise with friends, take classes, or hire a trainer for extra support and accountability.
8. Prioritize Daily Movement
Minimize sedentary time by taking activity breaks, choosing stairs, parking farther away, and engaging in light movement as able throughout your day.
With consistent effort using tips like these, accumulating 150 minutes of exercise per week is very doable.
The Bottom Line
Leading health organizations recommend getting 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. This amount maximizes health benefits while still being a realistic target for most people.
When broken down, 150 minutes is just 2 hours and 30 minutes total over the whole week. That equates to 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. Or you can opt for more intensive workouts on fewer days.
Reaching the 150 minute goal requires prioritizing exercise and integrating it into your normal routine. But the multitude of mental and physical benefits are well worth making regular activity a habit.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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