The 'new' Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, and what they got wrong

Early this month, the Department of Health and Human Services released an update to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The recommended amount of physical activity needed to maintain good health really hasn't changed. Children should get 60 minutes of physical activity a day and most of it should be moderate to vigorous aerobic activity (i.e., increased heart rate, hard to carry on a conversation) and they need muscle strengthening exercises, too.  Little children, and their caregivers, should stay active throughout the day. That is subjective, but it means less screen time!

The amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity and strength training that adults need is still 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic activity a week, less if it's vigorous (like running at a 10 m/m pace or faster), and twice a week weight training. The Guidelines say that this amount of physical activity is beneficial, but to really improve health and prevent disease MORE is necessary. That goes for strength training (e.g., lift weights), too. The least amount Americans need to do is twice a week for 20 minutes. Older adults, say 50+ should consider weight training imperative, as it will slow age related muscle loss (i.e., sarcopenia). Read more from the DHHS here. And for an announcement on the changes from NPR, read here.

So what has me all riled up... so much so I am writing a blog post when I have pretty much stopped making time for them? Well, the Guidelines now claim that any large muscle motor activity/movement can count toward your aerobic goal. So if you walk from your car to a building and it takes 5 minutes, good for you!! Only 295 more to go. If you mop the floor for 10 minutes - you are AWESOME, 285 more to go. And so forth.

As I perceive it, that is not exercise. And here is why I think the DHHS wants to say it is. Because, as a nation, we have been woefully behind in meeting the PAGA (physical activity guidelines). According to the CDC, less than 1/4 (25%!) meet the combined aerobic and strength training minimum goal. But if the government says all those little things DO count, then when they ask people about meeting the per week aerobic goal, more can say yes. So the next time the CDC reports results form a survey, the percent of the population meeting the aerobic goal might jump from 50% to 75%, only because the definition has changed, not because people became more active. 

Imagine our trend lines - there could be a sudden spike in the number of Americans who meet the goals, but it won't be because people are exercising more, it will be because they are counting things that probably shouldn't count. Be wary when looking at trend data when the definition of the behavior being tracked or the question being asked, has changed.

I absolutely 100% believe we need to move more and sit less and that by doing so, we will be healthier, but come on.  If you get up and go to the toilet at night, can you count that too?!? Lowering the standards is not going to reduce chronic illnesses related to sedentary behavior.

Heat, Hydration and Exercise Amounts

Heat, Hydration and Muscles  This goes into the “learned the hard way” category.  Maybe you can learn from my experience.  As you may recall, I had some pain in my calf a few weeks ago.  Both the physical therapist and later the MD asked me if I had been running when it was very hot.  I had.  It was when NC was having the high heat index days and I was blogging about code red air quality.  The PT said that I was probably tired and hot leading my muscles to cramp and stay sort of knotted up.  I kept trying to run – thinking – well surely those knots will let go.  Instead, it got worse and Monday a week ago, the pain was intense enough to send stress fracture alarm bells ringing and I have not run since (sad me).  I saw the sports medicine doctor on Thursday.  He told his assistant, “It’s the heat.  Remember all the runners that have been coming in with pulled muscles?  They get dehydrated and injured.”  So dehydration was the cause.  Dehydration (when you sweat out more than you drink in) impairs muscle functioning.  The muscles have less blood flowing to them, are not as flexible and elastic as usual and are prone to stresses.  This makes the muscles weaker, increases cramping, and injury risk.  As I recall, I may have run over a root on a trail on one of those super hot days. The muscles that stabilize the ankle couldn’t handle the contraction needed to balance me.  I did not feel any sharp pains – I only felt tightness the next day.  My doctor used an ultrasound to evaluate my injury and found some tears in the perineum – one of the many calf muscles. I do not have a stress fracture and all my joints and muscles are strong. I did learn that the muscles most susceptible to injury during dehydration are the hamstrings, quadriceps and calf.  I thought I was prepared for the.  I wore a fuel belt with electrolyte water , but I guess I needed two bottles not one.  BAH.  Well – I am unhappy but as you’ll see in the exercise chart below – I am NOT sedentary. 

Exercise Amounts

I have added totals to the excel sheet that I use to make my chart. When considering my weekly total,  I should not count the 80 minutes of cycling for transportation.  It does not really meet the definition of exercise. That leaves me with a total of 678 minutes for the week.  Within that total is my time spent on resistance or strength (weights) training.  The PAG (physical activity guidelines) specify time for resistance workouts (at least 20 min 2x a week) apart from the recommendations for aerobic activity.  So I should also subtract my 60 minutes of weight training form the 678 total. That leaves me with 618 minutes spent on walking, running, swimming or cycling in seven days.  I averaged almost an hour and a half each day.  Believe it or not, the PAG suggest that the more one exercises the better the benefit.

My change due to injury is somewhat noticable in the chart below and will be more so next week.  I have added more cycling for fitness (including dirt trails) and and extra day of swimming.  For the extra day of swimming (oh my gosh I used to hate one and now its three!) I am doing pool running with a jog belt.  If you are interested in that, Google has some video links.

Remember you can make your own chart by modifying the excel document I made.  It is available here. link to scribd 

 

 Are you still reading?  Great.  Let me add that I understand that the majority of people have trouble meeting the 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, none the less 300 minutes.  But it is true, the more you do the better off you'll be (for most people).  Below is the statement from the PAG document itself.  You can check out the guidelines in full here.  There are special sections for people who are disabled or over the age of 65.  However, no one gets away with being sedentary!

The benefits continue to increase when a person does more than the equivalent of 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. For example, a person who does 420 minutes (7 hours) a week has an even lower risk of premature death than a person who does 150 to 300 minutes a week. Current science does not allow identifying an upper limit of total activity above which there are no additional health benefits.

Muscles

I forgot to tell you the best thing about the Farmer's Market we had a couple weeks ago.  I thought of it today because it had to do with muscles, mine specifically :)

When the event ended, several of us pitched in to take down tents and tables, put away supplies and pack up cars.  The church pastor had been selling bottled water and there was still an unopened case of water on his table.  This water was to go home with one of the ...hmmm - not middle aged, and I don't like old or older, so higher aged? -  higher aged women.  I told her not to try to lift it, but I wanted to see if I could.  It was not heavy really, so when I saw that I could lift it without hurting myself, I just began walking to her car.

She and some of the others were surprised.  First they said, "Oh No - you can't lift that, " and then saw that I very well could.  I said, I am strong because I lift weights :)  Then I put the water down and made a 'bicep'.  They exclaimed, "Oh, she has muscles!"

Indeed.  So today, my normal weight training day, when I felt overwhelmed with school requirements, I thought.. just for a second, "I could skip the workout."  But you know - I couldn't and we can't.  If you "don't do it" once it becomes acceptable and you will "not" do it again. How many of you took a day over a year ago - from something - and never went back?

As it is, I only work out with weights twice a week for 40 minutes each time- still double the lowest PAG recommendations but not that much.  I HAD 40 minutes to spare today and I lifted my weights.  I must - the higher aged women are counting on me :)

BTW- notice how I took the opportunity to point out that my strength is related to something I do - just as I remark that my size is related to how I eat and not my genes.

AND - I finished my syllabus today - for the class I will start teaching next week - it is SIX pages long :)