Less than half of American adults get a healthy dose of exercise. The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have developed new, clearer guidelines on how much exercise you need to promote and maintain health.

Research shows that regular exercise protects against heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, bone loss, and some cancers.

Based on these findings, the experts say healthy adults ages 18 to 65 should follow either one of these protocols:

• At least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, five days each week
• At least 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, such as jogging, three days each week

The experts also suggest that older adults perform flexibility exercises for at least 10 minutes, two days a week. In addition, they recommend balance exercise to lower the risk of falls.

The new guidelines also recommend strength exercises on at least two nonconsecutive days each week for all age groups.

Know Your Exercise Target
Your target heart rate is the rate at which sustained physical activity is considered safe and effective. To use our Target Heart Rate Calculator, visit www.paramounthealthcare.com, click on “Better Health for Life,” “Interactive Tools,” “Calculators,” and “Target Heart Rate Calculator.”