veryone knows
exercise is good
for you. But not
everyone knows
exactly how good.
When you see the
many health
benefits of physi-
cal activity in
a list, they canseem almost too good to be true.
Exercising consistently can helpprevent heart disease and muscle
weakness; control and treat chronic
conditions such as diabetes, arthritis,
and hypertension; increase bone and
muscle strength; improve brain
function and sleep; and boost mood
and enhance your overall quality of
life, says Dori E. Rosenberg, Ph.D., an
associate investigator with the Kaiser
Permanente Washington Health
Research Institute. And it does all of
that without causing the side effects
of some of the prescription drugs used
to treat those conditions.
Though the share of Americans whoexercise regularly is climbing, many
are still lagging behind. Only about half
of adults get the 150 minutes per
week of moderate-intensity aerobic ac-
tivity (such as brisk walking) or 75
minutes of vigorous aerobic activity
Run for Your Life
74 74 GUIDE TO WGUIDE TO WELLNESS ELLNESS CR.ORGCR.ORG
CAN TECH
MAKE IT
MORE FUN
TO BREAK A
SWEAT?Technology is changing the
way some Americans exercise.
Smartwatches, apps, and even
virtual classes and competitions
are among the ways people are
using it today to
accomplish their fitness goals.
“Technology can help en-
gage people in exercise more,”
says Dori E. Rosenberg, Ph.D.,
a clinical health psychologist
and an associate investigator
with the Kaiser Permanente
Washington Health Research
Institute. For example, a virtual
class that lets treadmill users
compare their pace witheveryone else may challenge
those who are bored by regular
treadmill running.
The latest treadmills and
ellipticals offer plenty of high-
tech options to help motivate
people, says Peter Anzalone,
senior test project leader
for fitness equipment at CR.
Exercise equipment has
long provided programmed
workouts (such as “hills” or
intervals), but internet
connectivity has expanded
the choices considerably.
“There’s a big trend toward
providing ever different varietiesPHOTOS,^ PREVI
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EPORTS(TREADMILL);^ PHOTO,^ BOTTOM:PELOTON(such as jogging) recommended by the
Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion. More than a quarter of Americans
are almost completely inactive, report-
ing virtually no exercise at all in a year,
according to the latest survey by the
Physical Activity Council. That means
millions of Americans are missing out
on potential health benefits.
Becoming—and remaining—
consistently active can be a challenge,
even when you understand all of the
benefits. So follow our advice to find
easy ways to get moving, whether that
means taking walks around the neigh-
borhood, hitting the gym, or in-vesting
in home fitness equipment. Before
you know it, aerobic exercise will be a
regular part of your routine.Tailor Your Routine
to Your Lifestyle
“Some people prefer exercising by
them-selves at home; others prefer a
social environment,” says Lyndon
Joseph, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist
in the division of geriatrics and clinical
gerontology at the National Institute
on Aging. “Whatever gets you moving
and active is what you should do.”
Exercising at home on a treadmill
or an elliptical can make being activeeasier because it removes many of the
barriers people can face. For example,
you don’t have to worry about the
weather, finding a safe place to walk,
hitting traffic on the way to the gym, or
jostling for equipment. Our treadmills
and ellipticals ratings on page 77
will help you determine which machine
best meets your needs and budget.
Strength training (such as weight
lifting) can benefit your bones and
your muscles, but aerobic exercise in
particular strengthens the heart,
Joseph says. And you don’t need to run
marathons to see the benefits. In fact,
brisk walking can be just as good for
you as more vigorous exercise.
“The most recent physical activity
guidelines reviewed all the evidence
on aerobic physical activity and health,
and found that walking can offer many
of the same benefits as other types of
physical activity,” Rosenberg says. “But
you may need to increase the speed to
make it a moderate-intensity activity.”
(Depending on your fitness level, a
moderate-intensity walk will usually
be 3 to 4.5 mph, which results in 20- to
13-minute miles.)
Running or jogging can burn
calories more quickly than walking
and can potentially offer more bone-
strengthening benefits. But not