While Austin is one of the fittest cities in the country, Americans are relatively inactive. With over 66 percent of Americans overweight or obese, the amount of exercise most of us are experiencing is not enough. One quarter of us don't participate in any leisure activities at all.

Dr. Laura Carstensen, director of the Center on Longevity at Stanford University, recently commented in a New York Times article, If exercise were a pill, it would be the most expensive drug on the market. By the amount of vitamins, supplements, over-the-counter and prescription drugs sold every year, it seems that most of us don't have a problem taking a pill for what ails us. Since no magic pill has been developed yet for weight loss and general good health, our best bet is to rely on good old exercise and proper nutrition.

The daily amount of exercise a person needs is often up for interpretation. If you're preparing for a race, the workload prescribed by a training plan usually is dictated by your current fitness level versus what your expectations are for the race. Whether seeking to meet a specific time goal or to achieve a certain weight by the time of the race is based on your personal preference. If you're exercising for general good health and you want to experience a variety of activities to stave off boredom, then other recommendations are in order.

Experts recommend you exercise for 30 minutes almost every day of the week, including a rest day or two, if you want to lower the risk of developing chronic diseases including coronary artery disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer. For those who want to lose weight, moderate or vigorous exercise is needed for at least 60 minutes per day.

If you find 60 minutes of activity unrealistic, try short bursts (e.g., 10-minute bursts) of moderate-intensity activity. The accumulated total is what is importantboth for health and for burning calories. Physical activity can be accumulated through three to six 10-minute bouts over the course of a day.

Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture Recommendations The Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been published jointly every five years since 1980 by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Guidelines provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about good dietary habits and physical activity to promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. They serve as the basis for Federal food and nutrition education programs. Here are are some of the recommendations for exercise in greater detail:

• Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being and a healthy body weight.
  • To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
    
    
  • For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
    
    
  • To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
    
    
  • To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.
  
  
  
• Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Key Recommendations for Specific Population Groups

There are no one-size-fits-all recommendations for exercise. The Federal plan breaks its recommendations into advice for groups.

• Children and adolescents. Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.
  
  
• Pregnant women. In the absence of medical or obstetric complications, incorporate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Avoid activities with a high risk of falling or abdominal trauma.
  
  
• Breastfeeding women. Be aware that neither acute nor regular exercise adversely affects the mother's ability to successfully breastfeed.
  
  
• Older adults. Participate in regular physical activity to reduce functional declines associated with aging and to achieve the other benefits of physical activity identified for all adults.

Moderate Versus Vigorous Intensity Chart

Moderate Physical Activity	Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person a
Hiking	370
Light gardening/yard work	330
Dancing	330
Golf (walking and carrying clubs)	330
Bicycling (<10 mph)	290
Walking (3.5 mph)	280
Weight lifting (general light workout)	220
Stretching	180
Vigorous Physical Activity	Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person a
Running/jogging (5 mph)	590
Bicycling (>10 mph)	590
Swimming (slow freestyle laps)	510
Aerobics	480
Walking (4.5 mph)	460
Heavy yard work (chopping wood)	440
Weight lifting (vigorous effort)	440
Basketball (vigorous)	440