The Right Dose of Exercise for a Longer Life

[razztazz]

Results Thirty minutes of PA per 6 days a week was associated with about 40% mortality risk reduction. There was a 5 years increased lifetime when comparing sedentary and moderate to vigorous physically active men.

So what does this say about the thousands of other studies we've been bludgened with for the past 40 years? They were wrong, is what t says. Moderate exercise = NO exercise

Conclusions Even at the age of 73 years, PA is associated highly with mortality between groups of sedentary and active persons

This is also a meaningless conclusion. What are they saying? Nothing. A meaningful conclusion would be: Healthy people can continue to exercise well into old age. Everybody else has to slow down and /or stop. It does NOT mean exercising as any benefits. Or maybe they would like to restate.

 

[imoldernu]

This just released long term study can help clarify those questions and more -

Increases in physical activity is as important as smoking cessation for reduction in total mortality in elderly men: 12 years of follow-up of the Oslo II study -- Holme and Anderssen 49 (11): 743 -- British Journal of Sports Medicine

I would take issue with this part of the study:

A recent meta-analysis2 reported that an energy expenditure corresponding to 1000 Kcal/week was associated with 20–30% reduced mortality, covering all ages and both genders. This amount is comparable to the moderate and intermediate degree of our exposure variables at leisure. Wen et al7 showed in a large study from Taiwan that 15 min of daily activity at a low intensity was associated with a 14% risk reduction through a 3-year follow-up with a further dose–response reduction of 4% for each 15 min increased activity. This was somewhat weaker than observed in our data, but the authors adjusted for 13 variables (such as blood glucose and systolic blood pressure) that may have resulted in overadjustment.

... but then. who am I to judge?

 

[bjorn2bwild]

Tough crowd. Good thing exercise is voluntary.

 

[redduck]

You can look at it this way: Which of these two people is likely to want to go for a run?

The girl is more likely to go for the run. Did I answer correctly?

However, the guy may be sitting on the couch wanting to go for a run more than the girl--he just isn't able. Yes/no/maybe?

Other guesses: The guy is daydreaming about running with the girl.

My first best guess is, he'd love to be sitting on the couch with the girl, sharing a pizza. Even better, the girl doesn't eat pizza.

I guess I should have asked if you take off for guessing.

 

[FIREmenow]

A friend who does not exercise told me thus: If I exercise I can add a year to my life, but I'll spend that much time exercising. I don't like exercising so it is not worth it for me. I think he was on to something. Many of us who exercise, actually like exercising. Others don't and maybe they are rational.

LOL.

I had a friend at work who said, "The human heart only beats so many times in a lifetime. Exercise raises your heart rate. Why would I want to do that?"

LOL!

 

[M Paquette]

LOL.

I had a friend at work who said, "The human heart only beats so many times in a lifetime. Exercise raises your heart rate. Why would I want to do that?"

LOL!

Heh, heh.

Assume a pulse of 72 BPM for a non-exercising person. That's 103,680 beats per day. A real couch slug might be 80-100 BPM.

I exercise. That's 1 hour a day at 120 BPM. Resting pulse is 45 BPM. A side effect of consistent cardio exercise is to lower the resting pulse. Average during my non-exercising non-resting time is 60 BPM. With 9 hours resting, 1 hour exercising, and 14 hours of retiree fiddling about a day, that comes to 81,900 beats per day.

With a fixed number of beats determining lifespan, I'll live 127% of the lifespan of the non-exercising person. I'll also spend less time collapsed on the couch complaining I'm too tired to walk to the buffet...

 

[samclem]

A side effect of consistent cardio exercise is to lower the resting pulse.

Yet more evidence that cardio exercise kills.

If I "exercise" my pool pump and the next day it is turning just half as many RPM, I would not say "Wow, that exercise really helped my pool pump!" No, I'd say "Whatever I did, I'd better quit because I'm killing my pool pump!" Same with our hearts. If a lower resting heart rate is a sign of great health, then all those folks pushing up the daisies with a zero resting heart rate must be star specimens.

Babies have very high resting heart rates and they have the longest expected remaining lifespans of anyone.

The evidence is pretty clear, and entirely intuitive--lower resting heartrate= closer to death. Cardio exercise kills.

(I can do this rationalization against exercising all day--I have a lifetime of practice. Probably a shorter lifetime than if I exercised! )

 

[HFWR]

(I can do this rationalization against exercising all day--I have a lifetime of practice. Probably a shorter lifetime than if I exercised! )

The trick is to find an activity that doesn't feel like "exercise". Walking, jogging, bicycling, kayaking, rock climbing, tennis, swimming. Heck, even golfing, if you walk and carry your clubs, and limit your strokes on the nineteenth hole...

 

[someguy]

Heck, even golfing, if you walk and carry your clubs, and limit your strokes on the nineteenth hole...

Not being a golfer, I thought this was a reference to another, uh, activity.

 

[Lisa99]

I used to think of exercise as a 'dose' because I never found anything I was passionate about. Now that I've found pickleball, I'd rather be playing than doing anything else so I easily get in 2 hours of exercise on weekdays. Weekends are more like 4 hours each day.

Only downside is my knees aren't always happy with me.

 

[friar1610]

Here's the routine I've become accustomed to: 2-3 times per week do a spinning class pretty hard. Maybe 1-2 days per week do a 30 minute Concept 2 row at a moderate/high rate. Walk 3-5 days per week, either in combination with the above exercises or as my only exercise for the day. Normally about 40 - 50 minutes, moderate. What I should do more of (and which I unfortunately do only intermittently: stretching and upper body resistance work.)

I just turned 70. I ran for most of my life (until I just got sick of it about 4 years ago). Never ran extreme distances, never had any desire to do a marathon, never suffered any joint problems during the running years. Starting to feel things a bit in my knees now but nothing serious.

I've come to believe that the hard/moderate principal (on alternate days) is the best way to go. My gym has a sign up that says they're doing to start tai-chi classes soon and I intend to try that. (Have tried yoga in the past but couldn't get into it.)

 

[harley]

Tai chi is great. Slow motion martial arts. I suspect you'll really like it. I never could really get into yoga either.

 

[Leonidas]

People who exercised moderately for 150 mins per week had a 31% lower chance of dying during the 14 year study versus the non-exercising people.

Triple that to 450 mins - best odds - 39% lower chance.

30% of exercise being vigorous improved odds 13%.

Recommendations - min 150 mins per week with 20 to 30 being vigorous.

For me, the quality of the life I have left is more important than how much longer I live. I want to be active as close to the moment I kick the bucket as possible.

 

[HFWR]

For me, the quality of the life I have left is more important than how much longer I live. I want to be active as close to the moment I kick the bucket as possible.

+1

Though I'll take longevity as well, but not too much, else I'll have to reduce my SWR...

It's safe to say that the right amount of exercise for increased longevity is >0...

 

[sanjeev0276]

For me, Right dose in 30 minutes exercise EVERDAY. Simple as that. EveryDay is the Key. Consistent exercise day in and day out.
You can do anything in that 30 minutes, running, weightlifting, swimming, yoga and others. But 30 minutes everyday is must.

 

[eytonxav]

For me, Right dose in 30 minutes exercise EVERDAY. Simple as that. EveryDay is the Key. Consistent exercise day in and day out.
You can do anything in that 30 minutes, running, weightlifting, swimming, yoga and others. But 30 minutes everyday is must.

That sounds like a good recommendation for most folks, however, if you do any high intensity stuff or heavy lifting, a rest day or two may be warranted. For me, I listen to my body to know when to rest between workouts or when to even take a week off, which can be a good thing after several months of going at it.

 

[NoiseBoy]

I am still working. I exercise because I have a sedentary job (with commute) and I don't want to be like many of my friends, who take pills to control their blood pressure and cholesterol levels and who can't walk up a steep hill without getting out of breath.

I run for exercise because I've found that if I can just get out there after work, and then get a mile (or 2 or 3) away from the house, then I have no choice but to get my butt home again. When I am in one of my strength training modes I find that, after 8 - 10 weeks of following the plan, I start to lose focus and it's way too easy to quit on the workout, so running is what I always come back to. Running is also a pretty cheap option. I run 4 days a week and about 25 miles a week. I also do Yoga and I'll throw in some other workouts from time to time.

Regular exercise allows me to eat and drink the "good things" in life, albeit with moderation and means that I can spend the whole day away from the hotel when I'm on vacation, just walking around and seeing the sites. You can add me to the camp that thinks that regular exercise is something that I can control and that can help me have a longer and higher quality of life.

Running slows aging and postpones disability, study finds

Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from the School of Medicine that tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.

​

I found this article while looking for a long term study that I read some time ago that tracked Stanford employees and retirees. I am not sure the subjects in this study are the same group, but that other study reached the same basic conclusions about the meritorious benefits of regular exercise. The thing that makes that study interesting is that group of individuals, while not being a fair sample of the US general population, is probably pretty representative of the members of this forum.

 

[HFWR]

Walking is a great way to "rest" between high-intensity days.

 

[eytonxav]

Walking is a great way to "rest" between high-intensity days.

Yep, a great way to exercise every day, even with out the HIT.

 

[Major Tom]

I have real trouble with planned exercise - things like going to the gym or using an exercise bike. I don't know whether it's due to a lack of self-discipline, or some strange type of ADD, but the few times I have tried these types of planned exercises, I get bored and cannot stay the course. Put simply, I can only exercise when it is a natural part of something I am already doing. I don't play any sports, so my sole form of exercise, other than walking, is riding a bicycle. I don't own a car, so apart from walking and taking the bus, bicycle is how I get around. I use the bike 5 or 6 days a week, and probably cycle about 4 miles total for each trip. It's not a whole lot, but it has to be better than nothing.

I don't know if the exercise has anything to do with it or if I'm just lucky, but my systolic, diastolic and heart rate are all very good. Sorry for the qualifier, but I forget the actual numbers. I have been told on more than one occasion that my heart rate is athletic (it is quite low).

One thing that concerns me is the great deal of time I spend sitting down in front of my desk at home. I have spent the last few years building various ham radio-related projects, all of which involves sitting down. In a few months, I will have finished the last of these projects and am very much looking forward to spending more time standing and walking around. I spend so much time sitting down that at times it feels stressful. A stand-up bench would be a great idea, and I may still do something along those lines.

 

[Mulligan]

Yep, a great way to exercise every day, even with out the HIT.

+1....Or so says my knees and back anyways.... And they are now the Boss of my workout regimen.


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[LinCella]

I have had so many expensive gym memberships in my lifetime and I end up using them the first week and never again. I don't like scheduled classes at all, I'm not very good at doing what everyone else is doing. But I know I am out of shape in so many ways - have diabetes as well - and know that some sort of movement is good. I walk the dog every day and then take a walk for myself later in the day. I have some stretchy bands that the PT gave me for rehab and I use those "when" I remember. Shoulder and hand injuries from years ago prevent me from doing weights and any Yoga class around here is very expensive.

But walking is free and you see some interesting things. I just have to do it steadily or I tend to get back to sloth.

 

[Katsmeow]

I have had so many expensive gym memberships in my lifetime and I end up using them the first week and never again. I don't like scheduled classes at all, I'm not very good at doing what everyone else is doing. But I know I am out of shape in so many ways - have diabetes as well - and know that some sort of movement is good. I walk the dog every day and then take a walk for myself later in the day. I have some stretchy bands that the PT gave me for rehab and I use those "when" I remember. Shoulder and hand injuries from years ago prevent me from doing weights and any Yoga class around here is very expensive.

But walking is free and you see some interesting things. I just have to do it steadily or I tend to get back to sloth.

What I have found is that it is important for me to figure out what my barrier is to engaging in certain forms of exercise and what will cause me to exercise more.

The barriers I found I had for walking and using my exercise bike were boredom. Solution: Treadmill and bike are in the room with a TV with a DVR. I only watch the TV when I'm either on the treadmill or bike (or briefly resting between sessions). Another Solution: Walk outside with my husband.

I had the same problem with the gym - joining and not going. I looked at why and it was 2 things. One was the same boredom when I was using the elliptical - Solutions: DH and I go together and are on adjacent machines and can chat. Also take earphones so I can plug them in and listen to TV.

The other problem was that it was too easy to get busy and just not go. I solved that by buying personal training sessions and then scheduling the sessions. I have to go or I lose the money (I can reschedule but need to give notice). Also, I found that I wasn't doing some exercises because I wasn't sure what exercises were best. Using a trainer helped with that too.

I find that once I figure out why I don't like certain things, then I am much likely to be able to find a solution that I do like.

 

[haha]

Very helpful analysis.

I have been having trouble lately with indoor rowing in the unseasonably warm weather we have been having. Like most people in Seattle, I have no AC. Today was cooler, and I enjoyed rowing. My plan is to try to get going earlier so I can finish before it warms up, or failing that, to buy a portable air conditioner.

It's fine to go out walking, but overall I like to do some rowing and some walking in the hills here. If I can get going while it is still cool, I will save money and space in the room, so that is my first thing to try.

Ha

 

[eytonxav]

Ha, have you tried a portable fan placed in front of the equipment?