With the acceleration of the pace of modern life, exercise has attracted more and more attention as an effective means to improve physical health and quality of life.
But when many people start running, they are often confused by one question: how much should I run at least per week in order to be healthy?
Define exercise intensity
When discussing the relationship between physical activity and physical health, it is crucial to understand the definition of exercise intensity. In general, exercise intensity is measured as a percentage of your maximum heart rate and your energy metabolic equivalent (MET).
The percentage of maximum heart rate is a relative measure that is determined based on the individual's maximum heart rate. For example, when performing moderate-intensity exercise, an individual's heart rate is usually maintained between 50% and 70% of their maximum heart rate; In high-intensity exercise, this increases to 70 to 85 percent.
Another measure of exercise intensity is energy metabolic equivalents (METs), which represent the ratio of energy expenditure in a given activity to basal metabolic rate at rest. For example, a MET value of 1.0 for sitting quietly and jogging (8 kilometers per hour) may have a MET value of 8.0, indicating that the energy expenditure while jogging is eight times higher than that of sitting and standing quietly.
By understanding these methods of quantifying exercise intensity, an individual's exercise plan can be better planned and implemented. For running, running at different speeds and durations corresponds to different levels of intensity, which in turn affects the efficiency of reaching fitness goals.
Therefore, when choosing to run as part of your workout routine, it is essential to understand these metrics and adjust the amount and frequency of exercise accordingly.
The minimum amount of running
According to the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines, it is recommended that each adult engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week to maintain and improve physical fitness.
Moderate-intensity activity can be understood as the intensity at which you can speak but not sing during exercise, while high-intensity exercise is the state where it is difficult to speak.
To meet this criterion, moderate-intensity running is usually defined as a pace that sustains a sustained conversation, usually 6 to 7 minutes per kilometer. This kind of running is feasible for most people and can effectively boost cardio fitness. High-intensity running, on the other hand, is usually referred to as a sprint run or interval training, which is significantly faster than moderate-intensity, sometimes up to 4 to 5 minutes per kilometer.
If you target your running between moderate to high intensity, i.e. 6-7 minutes per kilometer, this means that running for around 2.5 hours per week can meet basic health maintenance standards.
If you're running at a higher pace, you'll be able to run 75 minutes a week.
Of course, for regular runners, the standard of the "Guide" can be regarded as a low limit, and everyone can make appropriate adjustments according to their own abilities, and running a little more will definitely increase the benefits of physical health.
In practice, the timing and frequency of each run can be adjusted according to the individual's schedule and physical condition, which can not only help meet the recommended levels of the American Physical Activity Guidelines, but also increase the enjoyment of exercise while improving your fitness.
Time allocation strategy
In the hectic pace of modern life, the right allocation of running time each week is essential to maintain the consistency and effectiveness of exercise. According to different working and living environments, we can flexibly arrange the exercise time on different days of the week to ensure that we can achieve the amount of exercise that suits us.
For most office workers, the workday tends to be tight. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a 30-minute moderate-intensity run on a weekday, either after waking up in the morning or after work.
Such short runs can not only activate the mental state of the day, but also effectively distract from work stress and improve sleep quality. To prevent excessive fatigue after exercise from affecting the next day's work, you can do simple stretching and relaxation after running.
For weekends, you can schedule a long run, such as a 60-minute run at a moderate to high intensity, which can help your body adjust and recover at a deeper level. When running on weekends, you can choose a park or a country road with abundant natural surroundings, which can not only enjoy running, but also relax your mind.
Also, if conditions allow, you can include a low-intensity jog or brisk walk in the middle of the week for about 40 minutes. This arrangement helps the body to better adapt to different levels of exercise, and also makes the exercise program more diverse and rich.
By allocating your running time between weekdays and weekends, you can not only maintain the continuity of exercise, but also better integrate it into your daily life to improve your health.
Persistence of movement
Regular and long-lasting physical activity is of great significance for improving human health. Studies have shown that consistent exercise can lead to significant health improvements. For example, regular low- to moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking or light running, can be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and boosting immune system function, while also helping to improve mental health, such as reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Consistent exercise not only improves existing health conditions, but also prevents potential health problems in the future. Even the bare minimum of physical requirements, such as a few short runs or walks a few times a week, can be effective in improving quality of life and longevity.
Continuous physical activity can improve an individual's ability to control their daily life, enhance their ability to cope with stress, and make people more confident and calm in the face of challenges.
Therefore, whether from the perspective of disease prevention and treatment or mental health, the minimum intensity of continuous exercise should not be neglected. By incorporating exercise into daily life and making it a habit, everyone can enjoy the various benefits of exercise to achieve better health and well-being in life.
Quality of life improvement
Running regularly increases an individual's self-efficacy, which is an individual's confidence in their ability to accomplish a particular task. This positive self-perception helps to improve the quality of decision-making and independence in daily life, making people more confident and effective in the face of life's challenges.
For example, in people who have been running for a long time, it is often seen that they show a stronger ability to set goals and achieve it both professionally and personally.
Regular running not only enhances physical fitness, but also has a positive impact on the mental and social levels, significantly improving quality of life and personal control.
Scientific studies have proven that no matter how long you exercise or how fast you run, you can achieve a healthy body if you accumulate 75-150 minutes of activity per week.
It is a rare piece of good news for modern people who are usually busy. Proper running investment is not only a way to maintain good health, but also a way to invest in yourself and enjoy life.
Therefore, whether you are a beginner runner or a runner with some basic knowledge, you should run moderately according to your own situation and enjoy the benefits of running.
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