275 Minutes a Week: Weighing the Need for So Much Exercise

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Indeed this is an indication of the mindset of American people in that they want to take a pill to achieve "health" instead of moving their bodies, getting off the couch and eating the appropriate foods.
It is depressing that the thought of living without the aches and pains of arthritis and joint problems that accompany being overweight are not enough to entice American adults to exercise daily.
I agree, that for people who exercise, it is not about wanting to live to be 100. It is about living without limitations and spending money on the things I want instead of spending it at the doctors office because I don't feel good after 30 or 40 or 50 years of being "pleasingly plump" and eating whatever the heck I wanted only to find that I have some disease that has been building up over time that could have been prevented.
When it comes to engaging in physical activity the key is to find something that you like and do it often even though that may mean breaking out of the old habits of doing nothing. A person can learn a new skill or activity, given the right incentive and one think that having a better quality of life is a good incentive.

R. Watson of FL 9:22AM August 02, 2008

exercise does not make me feel miserable. My body can tell when I haven't exersices, as I get sluggish, my muscle in my shoulder area hurts all the time... I may not live longer than a non exciser, but my quality of life should be pretty good when I get older...

sheri of IN 2:01PM August 01, 2008

Perhaps the BMI system is the problem here. At the upper range of the healthy weight BMI, I can count every one of my ribs, my belt rubs painfully against my exposed hipbones, and I can't sleep on my side because my knees whack each other. At the lower end, the hair leaves my head and grows on my chest, I have to wear a winter coat in 70 degree weather, I get dizzy all the time, and it hurts to sit down because I no longer have any padding on my butt. I've been at both weights, and my body seems to just work better slightly overweight.

Ann of PA 12:44AM July 30, 2008

Instead of 60 minutes of exercise, try substituting a little old fashioned activity. Remember when you had to get up out of your easy chair to change the channel on the TV. What about hanging the laundry outside to dry; combined with the newer washers it's often faster than a dryer and saves big bucks and energy. What about a flight or two of stairs, instead of the elevator. Walk or bike to the corner store for that ice cream and the pounds will come off. Increasing some physical aspects of everyday life decreases the need for more exercise. Changing mind-set saves money and sheds pounds.

Joe Songin of NY 9:53PM July 29, 2008

People need to work on their bodies much earlier, There was a very recent study which suggests that the number of fat cells you had around the age of 20 is the number of fat cells that you will have for the rest of your life regardless of what you do, including removing them.
This doesn't mean all hope is lost, you can still reduce those cells in size, but it will require some effort. All I see is people who can't maintain minimal discipline. Eating right is not difficult, humans are just habitual/adapting creatures and have a very difficult time changing set patterns that have been in place for a long time. Not to mention, most people are just not that happy and eating causes your brain to release some happy chemicals that make you feel better about yourself.

Cody of CA 5:37PM July 29, 2008

The "successful losers" in this study were doing the equivalent of 40 minutes daily of brisk walking. Granted, that's a lot more exercise than many of us do, but it's not running marathons.
I agree that there's not much new in this study.
-Steve
http://AdvancedMediterraneanDiet.com/blog/

Steve Parker, M.D. of AZ 1:18PM July 29, 2008

Because it's counterproductive--though I looked "hot", I was cranky, cold, tired, hungry all the time, and didn't have enough energy left over for my family and job. I don't like my weight--I'd definitely prefer to look like an athlete-- (BMI 28) but it's stable and I'm nicer and more effective--maybe in part because I've come to my own conclusions rather than letting all this dominate my time and self-esteem.
Some of us aren't designed for this. I also don't believe it will make you live longer. The stress on joints is hellacious and every woman over 30 that runs or bicycles daily has a stringy face that looks 15 years older.
It's important to eat moderate amounts fresh clean food, not be lazy about moving, and to spend an hour a day to give and receive affection. Exercise is not nearly as productive, unless you have a body type that benefits from it (did you love cross-country when you were 14?)

Mary of CA 9:12AM July 29, 2008

The tone of the article and the comments after it sadden me. 275 minutes per week is really not that bad. Check my math here but if someone joined a community, or YMCA basketball/softball/soccer/flag football league. Just pick your favorite sport and played one game every Saturday,that's roughly 90 minutes. If sports aren't your thing then an individual could could go for slow paced hike or bike ride every Saturday morning for 90 minutes, even doing 90 minutes of yard work would count. Doing this the remainder of the 275 minutes could be reached by exercising for 45 minutes on four additional days. This would allow the 275 to be reached still taking two days off each week.
It saddens me to think that our culture has gotten to the point where the news that spending 90 minutes doing yard work on a Saturday and four nights of the week going for a brisk 45 minute walk through your neighborhood after dinner will be seen as some impossible chore.

Katherine Hobson: I agree that it isn't that tough if you're already in the habit of being active. What's disturbing is that only a small percentage of the people in the study managed to be even that active. So clearly for a lot of people, reaching even that fairly reasonable level of exercise and movement will require some planning, effort and motivation.

Bob Booth of OK 1:26AM July 29, 2008

The thing to realize is that fat is one way...it goes on, but doesn't come off (not easily anyway). So if you're at a good weight, stay there. The older you get, the harder it is also.
For me, I find I need three things to lose weight at a rate that can sustain my interest in sacrificing donuts.
1. Very strenuous exercise, like three sets of tennis per day at a high level. Sadly most forms of exercise are dead boring.
2. Heat. I need to exercise at temperatures > 90 degrees for weight loss to be significant. Some poo poo this and insist you're just losing water, but I think it is more involved than that. Your body acclimates to hot weather by losing fat, or at least mine does. If you stay air conditioned all the time, your body will never undergo this natural slimming that is associated with acclimating to hot weather. You don't see too many fat Filipinos because they live in hot weather.
3. Cut down to one meal/day.

Luther of IL 1:07AM July 29, 2008

Hello, hello, hello? Do you hear me?
Isn't this what we have known all these years? Eat less, work out, and presto--you lose weight. It is as simple as burning more calories than you take in-- a true no-brainer, but for some crazy reason people are always looking for some formula, some hocus pocus cure or something to fix their weight problems... Good "old fashioned" methods still work. Eat healthy foods, watch those sugars, and get your heart rate up--you will lose weight.
Even if a person lost 2-4 lbs a month, that is 24-48 lbs in a year! I would be a twig if that happened!

Jel of OR 9:19PM July 28, 2008