Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Too much exercise

Lately, I've been thinking about exercise - specifically running vs. walking.  I thought about a workmate who used to be a marathon runner, who, later in life, had severe debilitation and gained a lot of weight.  I thought of another person who has been active for all of his life, and now has injuries that require surgery.

I think I need to make sure I keep my muscles healthy so that I can continue to exercise.  One of my doctors told me not to run.

In the Blue Zones books, Dan Buettner says that the longest living people aren't marathon runners.  Rather, they are regular people who walk a lot every day.

Federal guidelines suggest 150 weekly minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity for health benefits, in at least 10 minute intervals.  The guidelines suggest additional benefits by getting double those numbers.

Currently, I try to walk a half hour on weekdays and 4 hours on weekends.  This amounts to 390 minutes of moderate activity.

I came across an article that states that 450 or more minutes weekly can have negative health impacts.

I think after I hit my weight loss goal, I may eventually taper down my weekend walking.

Heath-wise, I'm starting to believe that moderation is the best way to approach certain things - definitely exercise, while slightly more tilted approaches are best for others - particularly eating.  I like to eat mostly vegetables, with occasional fish, and rare meat.

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