AIBU to think 20 min walking a day is not 'very active'

[UndertheCedartree]

I am reading a book called 'How not to die' by Michael Gregner. In it he talks about the 'Simple 7 steps' the American Heart Association says help cut your risk of Heart disease.

One is being 'very active'. This is defined as 22 minutes walking per day. I was pretty surprised by that. I walk more than that myself daily but don't consider myself very active, atall. I'm trying to get much healthier. Is that all I really need to aim for? Is there something I'm missing?

I drive to drop DS off as I then shoot off to work. I sit at a desk all day and rarely get up for a lunch break. I then jump back in the car for another 1 hour drive home and then spend the evening on the sofa. It's very easily done, and I'm aware it's not good!

@PriamFarrl

There was a post on Reddit a while ago asking if in the uk a 20 minute walk was normal. The poster had been listening to a true crime podcast from the uk where the presenter had said something like ‘she finished work at 5 and started the short 20 minute walk home.’ People from the uk were explaining that a 20 minute walk is nothing and Americans were explaining that for them it simply isn’t possible to walk to the shops etc because there aren’t the pavements.

Personally I do either 30 minutes HIIT and a 30 minute walk or 30 minutes of Pilates and a 50 minute walk each day. Still fat as all fuck though.

That's interesting, thank you.

Yes, he is. He doesn't think that is 'very active'. But I was interested as to why the American heart association consider 20 min walking a day 'very active'. Maybe even a little exercise has a big effect on the heart. I've only just started the book. I'll have a look on the website too.

Ah, I get you. Yes, I think it's similar to why the NHS only recommend 5 fruits and veg per day. They know we need more but they also know most people aren't achieving it. Yeah, I love the website, and there's a free app you can use to tick off your Daily Dozen. Very helpful!

@WingingItSince1973

It doesn't sound much but I have fibromyalgia and arthritis I'm only 49! Somedays I can only walk around the house and some days I can do a brisk hour long walk! 20 mins a day brisk walking sounds better than nothing. I guess I could say on my bad days i walk around the house for more than 20 mins but it's not the same as when I'm out with the dogs marching away x

Oh yes, I understand for you it is much harder to achieve. Must be tough.

@Flippydip

I drive to drop DS off as I then shoot off to work. I sit at a desk all day and rarely get up for a lunch break. I then jump back in the car for another 1 hour drive home and then spend the evening on the sofa. It's very easily done, and I'm aware it's not good!

Oh, I agree. I'm not saying it's not hard. Just questioning if it should be considered 'very active'.

On a slightly different note @UndertheCedartree if the title is to be believed, the writer is saying his way promises eternal life. (How not to die.)

Maybe he means HNTD young?

I'd never read a US book on health as they are all far less healthy than most other nations (in the developed world) and the bar is set very low.

Friends of mine lived in the US and said people thought they were crackers for 'going for a walk'. I mean why, when you have a car? :)

@Submariner

Yes, he is. He doesn't think that is 'very active'. But I was interested as to why the American heart association consider 20 min walking a day 'very active'. Maybe even a little exercise has a big effect on the heart. I've only just started the book. I'll have a look on the website too.

Ah, I get you. Yes, I think it's similar to why the NHS only recommend 5 fruits and veg per day. They know we need more but they also know most people aren't achieving it. Yeah, I love the website, and there's a free app you can use to tick off your Daily Dozen. Very helpful!

Oh brilliant, thank you.

Slightly at a tangent, but I realised recently that back in the day when I commuted by Tube in London, I was running fucking MILES every day as the journey involved lots of complicated changes and chasing up and down stairs and escalators. I look back on it thinking I just sat on a train in a tunnel, but it was more like Olympic training compared to what I do now (work from home so sit on arse!)

@JinglingHellsBells

On a slightly different note *@UndertheCedartree* if the title is to be believed, the writer is saying his way promises eternal life. (How not to die.)

Maybe he means HNTD young?

I'd never read a US book on health as they are all far less healthy than most other nations (in the developed world) and the bar is set very low.

Friends of mine lived in the US and said people thought they were crackers for 'going for a walk'. I mean why, when you have a car? :)

I've only just started to reading it so not sure, but it looks as how to lower

Walking 20 mins a day isn’t much! But I’d say the speed can make a difference surely if you are walking your dog and he’s got his nose to the ground sniffing every few mins then you are slow pacing, but I you walk faster to get your heart rate up that’s got to be better

I think it's the fact that 20 minutes exercise a day versus nothing makes a significant change to health, more than going from 20 to 40 minutes say

To me it's very low, I do about 2-3 hours a day but that's because I have dogs and like exercise too (DH says I am bonkers fwiw )

But the change from 0 to 20 is probably the one that really makes the key difference

After that, doing 20/40/60 whatever does not matter?

It looks at how to lower your risk of specific diseases. It seems to be based on worldwide research not just American. The author does not see 20 min walking as 'very active'.

Apparently in the UK the average person does 90mins of moderate exercise a week. 25% do 30mins. Moderate would be fast walking. So as much as people want to say 'Americans' and shake their heads that's very active compared to the average British person.

@Flippydip

I'd consider myself to be active if I walked for 20 mins a day. It's far more than I do currently, and I can't think of anyone I know who is that active.

@Flippydip You don't know anyone who walks 20 mins per day?

I find that surprising. Even 5 mins to bus stop, then 5 mins from bus to the office, and same at end of the work day, would be 20 mins

I walk alot, 20 mins is nothing

Food for thought. I've always had a dog. Now mid 50's. I've walked my dog(s) every day for years and years. Sure, I've dabbled in other physical activities but none lasted, as they do. I have a resting heart rate of an athlete. It puzzled the hospital recently so much that they sent me for an ECG. I don't look fit, in fact I'm classed as obese! Size 14. I would add that I also walk everywhere I possibly can. So, walking regularly does help you keep fit.
As for the American connection, I was stopped in America by Police - for walking. They questioned what I was doing, where I was going etc. I just said 'a walk'. They looked at me like I was crazy, lol.

@RoastedFerret

Apparently in the UK the average person does 90mins of moderate exercise a week. 25% do 30mins. Moderate would be fast walking. So as much as people want to say 'Americans' and shake their heads that's very active compared to the average British person.

90min of moderate exercise would be better than 140min of light exercise I would think.

It's not exactly nothing - it's a mile a day (or more) . And it's achievable.

I used to walk three miles a day, but frankly, taking an entire hour out of my day was too much. 20 minutes is far less likely to leave me chasing my tail for the rest of the day.

Come on.
Most people do NOT do 20 mins of walking a day. Most people struggle to go over the 5k steps a day.

What he is doing is encouraging people to move because the majority of people do not do as much walking/exercise as that.
You can argue as much as you want that it’s not a lot, it’s not being active etc… that’s not the point of his recommendation.

Just like the 5 a day is basically what you can hope most people will achieve. It doesn’t mean that 5 a day is enough or that eating 5 bananas a day is ok. It’s just what is achievable for most.

Btw for me the 20mins walking a day is the same sort if advice than saying use the stairs rather than the lift, park a bit further from the supermarket door and go down the bus one stop before yours.

@Alwayswonderedwhy

I can't see how the average doesn't walk more than 20 mins a day just going about daily life. I wouldn't consider it active nevermind very active. More like the bare minimum.

I work 8.30 - 6 sat down, with no time to get up and move around So I guess anyone in similar jobs

I don't walk 20 minutes a day. I drive for 45 minutes or so, then stand a lot. I do a lot of pacing around classrooms (and walking between them), but never 20 minutes consistently. I run 15k a week and do 2 gym classes, which keeps me slim.

I think we need to benchmark against ourselves. I’m no where near as active as I could be. I’ve put on weight and less when even the little activity since wfh.

I would just about manage 20 minutes in one go. I have cerebral palsy, but should do more. What I mustn’t do is make an unrealistic goal to immediately walk 40 minutes briskly every day.

Maybe they should encourage people to walk 5minutes more a day every day or quicker so we build from wherever we are. Some of you are well beyond needing to add distance or intensity but those of us who need to don’t go mad with a resolution.

22 minutes a day?! That is only way to the school for me. So I do my required weekly exercise by Tuesday afternoon that’s easy.

@Walkingalot

Food for thought. I've always had a dog. Now mid 50's. I've walked my dog(s) every day for years and years. Sure, I've dabbled in other physical activities but none lasted, as they do. I have a resting heart rate of an athlete. It puzzled the hospital recently so much that they sent me for an ECG. I don't look fit, in fact I'm classed as obese! Size 14. I would add that I also walk everywhere I possibly can. So, walking regularly does help you keep fit. As for the American connection, I was stopped in America by Police - for walking. They questioned what I was doing, where I was going etc. I just said 'a walk'. They looked at me like I was crazy, lol.

Wow you must be very fit! I think you can be overweight and fit. It must definitely be harder in some places in the US to get a short walk in. Imagine just going for a walk being considered odd!