After a new year, many of us are starting to set goals for 2024. New Year's resolutions have officially begun, whether it's fitness, money, or reading.
Working out is one of the most common New Year's resolutions. But like all solutions, there is a risk that it will not be achieved and you will be disappointed.
like a step counter Fitbit sets goal at 10,000 Number of steps per day. However, if it is equivalent to 5 miles, Is that a good exercise goal to start with??
A Fitbit trainer previously told USA TODAY that 10,000 steps could help meet official government guidelines that recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week for adults.
Thankfully, there are other ways to work toward these fitness goals.
more:Do you really need to walk 10,000 steps a day?Experts say there are better goals
Officials recommend 150 minutes of activity and 2 days of strength training per week
USA TODAY interviewed Dr. Katrina Piercy, director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Department of Health and Human Services. She works on physical activity guidelines that use the science of physical activity and its effects on health to encourage exercise.
Science says adults should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and two days of strength-building activities each week.
Pearcy says even that may seem like a lot, but you don't have to walk or run, or even break it up into chunks throughout the week.
“There may be a lot of people who like to go to the gym and run for an hour, but a lot of people don't,” she says. “She might only have five minutes here and 10 minutes there. It all adds up.”
Some daily activities can contribute to your aerobic fitness goals
The Bureau of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion is “Move Your Way” Activity Planner Provide suggestions for activities that people may not think of as exercise.
Here are some activities you can incorporate, especially if your heart is beating fast.
- active video games
- dancing
- housework
- yoga
- garden work
- go up the stairs
- Walking or running with a stroller
Amazing ways to adapt to strength training
Pearcy said finding small ways to incorporate activity and strength training into your daily routine will make your 150-minute goal more achievable. For example, you might decide to use a grocery store basket instead of a cart for a few minutes of strength training.
According to Move Your Way, other activities that count as muscle strengthening include:
- Mowing the lawn with a push lawn mower
- snow shoveling
- rock climbing
- gardening and weeding
- home repair
Recommendations may change depending on age
Move Your Way also provides recommendations for different populations.
For example, older adults need a balanced mix of activities, while children and teens need 60 minutes of activity a day.
Pearcy emphasized that some movement and activity is better than none. So if people start tracking how many minutes of activity they do each week, it can help them improve little by little.
