How Long Should You Exercise?

There are many of you who love to exercise and can keep going like the Energizer bunny. And then there are the rest of us for whom exercise is a constant challenge. One of the questions for the second group is what's the minimum amount of exercise that I need to do for weight loss and/or health?

Recently, an article in the New York Times gave us a research-based answer.

You may recall from a previous post that walking is the best exercise for weight loss. One study found that those who walked 450 minutes per week/approximately an hour per day were less likely to die prematurely than those who didn't exercised.

Depending on your current fitness level walking over an hour per day is a daunting task. So start at your comfort level and work your way up to 450 minutes. Remember you're on a journey to healthy and fit so take as long as you need.

I recently met someone who started walking 5 minutes each day and now 11 years later still walks every day but is up to 90 minutes! If she can do it, so can you!