How Much, How Often
Build up your endurance gradually, starting out with as little as 5 minutes of
endurance activities at a time, if you need to. Starting out at a lower level
of effort and working your way up gradually is especially important if you have
been inactive for a long time. It may take months to go from a very long-standing
sedentary lifestyle to doing some of the activities suggested in this section.
Your goal is to work your way up, eventually, to a moderate- to-vigorous level
that increases your breathing and heart rate. It should feel somewhat hard to
you. Once you reach your goal, you can divide your exercise into sessions of no
less than 10 minutes at a time, if you want to, as long as they add up to a total
of at least 30 minutes at the end of the day. Doing less than 10 minutes at a
time won't give you the desired cardiovascular and respiratory system benefits.
(The exception to this guideline is when you have first made the decision to begin
doing endurance activities, and you are just starting out). Your goal is to build
up to a total of at least 30 minutes of endurance exercise on most or all days
of the week. More often is better, and every day is best.
Safety
Endurance activities should not make you breathe so hard that you can't talk.
They should not cause dizziness or chest pain. Do a little light activity before
and after your endurance exercise session, to warm up and cool down (example:
easy walking). Stretch after your endurance activities, when your muscles are
warm. As you get older, your body may become less likely to trigger the urge to
drink when you need water. In other words, you may need water, but you won't feel
thirsty. Be sure to drink fluids when you are doing any activity that makes you
lose fluid through sweat. The rule-of-thumb is that, by the time you notice you
are thirsty, you are already some-what dehydrated (low on fluid). This guideline
is important year-round, but is especially important in hot weather, when dehydration
is more likely. If your doctor has asked you to limit your fluids, be sure to
check with him or her before increasing the amount of fluid you drink while exercising.
Congestive heart failure and kidney disease are examples of chronic diseases that
often require fluid restriction. Older adults can be affected by heat and cold
more than other adults can. In extreme cases, exposure to too much heat can cause
heat stroke, and exposure to very cold temperatures can lead to hypothermia (a
dangerous drop in body temperature). If you are exercising outdoors, dress in
layers so you can add or remove clothes as needed. Use safety equipment to prevent
injuries. For example, wear a helmet for bicycling, and wear protective equipment
for activities like skiing and skating. If you walk or jog, wear stable shoes
made for that purpose.
Progressing
When you are ready to progress, build up the amount of time you spend doing endurance
activities first; then build up the difficulty of your activities later. Example:
First, gradually increase your time to 30 minutes over several days to weeks (or
even months, depending on your condition) by walking longer distances, then start
walking up steeper hills or walking more briskly. Even very small changes in muscle
size can make a big difference in strength, especially in people who already have
lost a lot of muscle. An increase in muscle that's not even visible to the eye
can be all it takes to improve your ability to do things like get up from a chair
or climb stairs. Your muscles are active even when you are sleeping. Their cells
are still doing the routine activities they need to do to stay alive. This work
is called metabolism, and it uses up calories. That can help keep your weight
in check, even when you are asleep!
© 1996-2001 MedicineNet, Inc.
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