NHS Exercise advice

[Ryeman]

I’ve always been fairly fit and into sport. In the last couple of years I’ve started a pretty intense exercise class and a few months ago upped it from once to twice a week. I also play a sport 1-2 times a week. I feel like this is probably more than ‘most’ people do. But some weeks I’m only just reaching the recommended NHS amount of exercise: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/
I don’t really know what my AIBU is here but it seems like the recommended amount is fairly unachievable for a lot of people - in fact I’m pretty sure a large proportion of adults do approximately zero intense exercise. It’s so important for our health as we age, particularly bone health for women, balance and strength. As well as mental health benefits. Should there be more help and encouragement for people to be physically fitter vs just being in the ideal weight range?

According to my BMI I’m 3 stone overweight. Yes I do have fat visible on my body, but I also have muscle from lifting weights, and the BMI doesn’t differentiate that so I go off what I see and feel.
I do 3 hours exercise a week, and that’s enough for me as I wouldn’t have time to work, sleep, house clean and walk the dog if I did more. It’s about balance.

Where do you want this help and encouragement to come from? The guidance is there for all to see.
I don't think recommended amount is unachievable. 150 minutes of moderate activity per week (which includes brisk walking) is only 20 minutes per day.

I don’t really know what my AIBU is here but it seems like the recommended amount is fairly unachievable for a lot of people - in fact I’m pretty sure a large proportion of adults do approximately zero intense exercise

The fact they don't do it dpes not mean it's not achievable...

75 min a week spread in 5 days is 15min a day on rigorous exercise . That is doable short hiit or similar diy at home session.
If one combines it with basics like housechorse which can count towards moderate exercise when done with bit of gousto, you can easily reach the recommendations even with less than 15 min rigorous exercise.
I do 10 min in a morning with 5kg weights to get the body and brain going.

I walk & cycle for transport for anything under 2 miles, this means I about an hour a day. Walking is all that’s needed for the moving about part

I also go to the gym 4/5 times a week for 6am before everyone is up.

then my hobby is cycling at the weekends

for many years as a single mum it was difficult to fit much in apart from walking to after school care then cycling to work and back. A bit of running with the children on bikes at the weekend and some swimming

niw they are older it’s easier

Disability aside I don’t see why the guidelines would be unachievable for people. Even if they were they will be evidence based following research about what amount of exercise is needed to make a difference? So they can’t change it just to make it easier 🤷‍♀️

150 mins of moderate exercise is a 25 min walk a day? Stuff like gardening would probably count as well. Throw in two sessions a week of a YouTube video doing some body weight exercises (so no equipment needed) and you’re there. To be honest it seems a low amount to me.

Have a 20 minute walk a day and lift/carry a child a couple of times a week. I imagine anyone with an under 5 and a school or nursery run meets this.

75 minute of intense activity is harder, though it's that OR moderate activity (eg walk) OR a combination of each

Exactly - moderate physicsl activity does not have to be sport or organised exercise - walk more and you will easily reach that recommendation. Similarly a brisk housework session will a few times a week will add to the total.

The moderate intensity activity includes brisk walking so I think it’s pretty achievable!

Just a 30 min walk everyday = 210 mins a week
Add x3 30 mins home workouts = total 300 mins a week

I think the NHS guidelines are minimal and very achievable.

150 minutes of moderately intense exercise a week isn't even thirty minutes a day - of course people can achieve that, they just can't be arsed.

I think I would meet these recommendations and I don’t do any sports, gym etc. I take the baby out for a walk most days and I’m carrying small children a lot during the day. I think this is achievable for most people, housework counts too, hoovering the stairs would count as 30 minutes exercise for me. I think your probably doing more than you realise.

I would like the exercise guidelines also to recognise that sedentary behaviour is also bad for us. Since 1980 the average miles walk have reduced from 250 miles a year to 175. Wider work needs to be done to ensure our living environment is safe and accessible to walk in.

The recommendations are factual. They are what they are...there's no point setting a lower recommendation because people don't achieve it IMO.

I'm afraid I don't know what the answer is to actually helping people achieve it. I agree it's not easy to achieve this with lifestyles as they are today. What makes me really sad though is I think a lot of Mums in particular put themselves last in an effort to give everything for their children, completely oblivious to the fact that actually exercising and spending time taking care of themselves might mean there's more chance that they are around a lot longer for them. I'm not judging as although I'm fitter than a lot of people I know, I'm guilty of this myself.

On another note I think that most people walk and don't consider the 'brisk' element.

These sums are probably out of date now but I used to be very up with this kind of info. I think it's something like 150 mets a week for health. It was either doing five intense workouts. A week or being on my feet seven hours a day.

I agree it's not easy to achieve this with lifestyles as they are today.

I actually think the opposite - it's easier to achieve than ever with access to 24/7 gyms and parks etc.

But it's also just as easy to lay on the sofa and watch Netflix.

If you had asked me a few years ago I would have said this was unachievable but due to personal circumstances I had a serious long hard look about how my life was shaping out. I decided I'm no use to my children by being drained mentally and being overweight.

I now make sure I hit the guidelines by getting up an hour earlier and going to the gym for 30 minutrs 5 mornings a week at 6am.
Four are high intensity sessions so HIIT x 2, Spin, Bootcamp then I do two further sessions which are weight based.

As people have said walking is included so even the school drop off return walk with no kids could be turned into a brisk walk.

I am still overweight by 2 stone but 2 is better then 5. Many of my family have had heart related issues and I aim to not be one of them.

I don’t really know what my AIBU is here but it seems like the recommended amount is fairly unachievable for a lot of people - in fact I’m pretty sure a large proportion of adults do approximately zero intense exercise.

I disagree and by the way it isn't a competition you know. You do you. Why are you so focused on the fact you clearly think most people are lazy?

The NHS guidance is universal so has to cater for the fact there are 67 million people in the UK, all with varying needs, health challenges, lifestyles, family commitments and personal motivation.

There will be many who do a lot more than the NHS guidance and there'll be others who struggle to put one foot in from of the other and need some advice on a structured weekly exercise regime,

fwiw I think the NHS guidance is excellent, very balanced and achievable:

do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week

75 mins a week is not an excessive amount of vigorous exercise over a 7 day period - about 2 spin classes, 2 running sessions or 2 HIT classes. Or a couple of Park Runs. Or a couple of swims (front crawl or fast breaststroke)

it's an achievable goal for a person who doesn't exercise at all, to build up to that recommended amount.

Surely the issue with keeping up with the recommendations is how much time & energy one has?
If you work 40 hours a week, have young kids to look after there will be less time & energy than for someone who doesn't have young kid... and so on!

Ironically, I probably met the guidelines for 'exercise that gets you out of breath' very easily when in a state of post viral exhaustion. A 15 minute stagger with the dog had me definitely unable to talk or sing.

Now I'm more or less recovered, I can run for half an hour while chatting, so I guess that doesn't count. Hmm.

I fall down on the weightlifting and strengthening exercises so thanks for the reminder (anyone like to recommend a no-equipment workout? Or I have a small dog I could lift if needed?)

The only part of the NHS guidelines that looks potentially slightly challenging to me is :

• do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week

But that is only because (as it seems to me) most people wouldn't have an immediate sense of what range of activities might achieve this, so they may be put off by the idea that it involves an extensive selection of formal exercises. I imagine that a quick google would reveal how you could achieve that through a combination of ordinary lifestyle activities supplemented by just a couple of short formal routines. The cardiovascular part of the guidelines looks very achievable, just by incorporating the good old standby of 'brisk walking'.

I think the point of the NHS guidance is to give an optimum exercise level. If you have major family commitments, even if you can do some of what they recommend, then it still has important health benefits.

Focus on the moderate exercise bit. That’s very do-able with walking - just over 20 mins a day. Remember this is aimed at everyone so the expectations and definitions of moderate exercise are tailored to them - ie do more walking each day. They’re not saying people have to play squash for an hour a day. They’ve purposely made it do-able otherwise people would just dismiss it.

If you’re doing intense exercise (vigorous exercise) in 2 classes a week, then you’ve met it already, presuming your classes are at least 38 mins each. Then with your sports you’re also adding more. I guess you’re probably forgetting all the moderate exercise like walking you do too.

Yes I see what you mean. I think what I mean by lifestyles not bring easy is that (as an extreme example) I'm not surprised that a single Mum, working very long hours in a stressful job at a desk all day, would rather flop in front of Netflix than get childcare to go to the gym. I think it's understandable, although not excusable.

Absolutely @Wonderwall23 - I agree with you.

Unfortunately though, nobody else can exercise for us, it's one of the few things we can't outsource!

Further down the page they give examples which include daily activities