Living a Fun&Fit LIFE with Terry Tebbs

Living a Fun&Fit LIFE by Terry Tebbs • Wednesday, January 18, 2012

FIT TIP:

Moderate exercise of 150-minutes per week helps, but 300-minutes per week is even better

The other day I brought up a detailed report from the American Cancer Society on how we can reduce our risk of cancer. One of the main factors in risk reduction is our level of physical activity – EXERCISE!

The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise, or an equivalent combination of both.

However, the American Cancer Society clearly points out in their report that there is ample evidence suggesting that higher amounts of physical exercise may provide even greater reductions in cancer risk. “Although the optimal intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity needed to reduce cancer risk are unknown, approaching and exceeding 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week or 150 minutes of vigorous activity per week is likely to provide additional protection against cancer. There is limited evidence regarding whether physical activity is most protective if done in a single session or in increments throughout the day, but it is reasonable to assume that benefit can be accumulated in separate sessions of 20 to 30 minutes each,” states the report.

“Studies suggest that 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per week also helps to prevent weight gain and obesity. By helping to maintain weight and avoid weight gain, this amount of physical activity may thus have an indirect effect on reducing the risk of developing obesity-related cancers. Apart from the effects on body weight, physical activity appears to have a direct effect on reducing the risk of cancers of the colon, breast, and endometrium, as well as advanced prostate cancer, even when activity is initiated later in life. Individuals who are already active at least 150 minutes per week should therefore strive to accumulate 300 minutes of moderate or greater intensity physical activity per week,” states the American Cancer Society report.

It is clear exercise helps maintain better health. The question many have is what defines “moderate intensity” or “vigorous intensity” activities? The report answers that question with the examples in the chart below.

If you decide to set a goal of 150 minutes per week of vigorous activity per week, that is only 30 minutes five days a week. Yes, you can have 2-days off! If you want to take one day off per week, just commit to 25 minutes per day.

Try it for two weeks. Work exercise into your daily routine and you will feel the effects in only a few days of a more positive outlook on life and more energy – you will walk around all day long with a bounce in your step.

Getting started is very simple. Life is about choices – “Choose to get fit.”

COMMIT. PLAN. FOLLOW.

Living a Fun&Fit LIFE by Terry Tebbs • Thursday, January 12, 2012

Cut your risk of cancer death by up to two-thirds with simple lifestyle choices

Cancer is a scary subject. It is a disease that seems to run rampant through society. All of us have witnessed the ravaging effects of cancer on a close friend or family member. So what can you do in your life to reduce the risk of becoming ill with the dreaded “C” word? Make choices to consume healthy food, avoid tobacco and engage in physical activity.

Making simple choices in your life will dramatically reduce your risk of death from cancer according to the experts who know best – The American Cancer Society. Even though genetics influence who is susceptible to getting cancer, most of the variation in cancer risks are due to factors that are not inherited – risk factors we have control over – weight control, physical activity, diet and tobacco use.

In a very strong statement on how your lifestyle effects cancer risk, The American Cancer Society has recently written, “For the great majority of Americans who do not use tobacco, the most important modifiable determinants of cancer risk are weight control, dietary choices, and levels of physical activity. One-third of the more than 572,000 cancer deaths that occur in the United States each year can be attributed to diet and physical activity habits, including overweight and obesity, while another one-third is caused by exposure to tobacco products.”

If I am reading that correctly, two-thirds of the cancer deaths in the United States are related to lifestyle choices. The above quote was taken from a lengthy article first published online on January 11, 2012 (Yesterday). The publication that posted the article is CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. For the next few days I will study the article in detail, and share with my readers all the important information we can easily apply into our daily life.

For a quick synopsis of lifestyle choices the American Cancer Society recommends here is the quick list:

• Be as lean as possible throughout life without being underweight.
• Avoid excess weight gain at all ages. For those who are currently overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start.
• Engage in regular physical activity and limit consumption of high-calorie foods and beverages as key strategies for maintaining a healthy weight.

• Adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week, or an equivalent combination, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Children and adolescents should engage in at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day, with vigorous intensity activity occurring at least 3 days each week.
• Limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching television, or other forms of screen-based entertainment.
• Doing some physical activity above usual activities, no matter what one's level of activity, can have many health benefits.

• Choose foods and beverages in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Limit consumption of processed meat and red meat.
• Eat at least 2.5 cups of vegetables and fruits each day.
• Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products.

• Drink no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 per day for men.

Beginning tomorrow, I will provide specifics on one of the recommendations from the list above. Remember life is about choices. Today, make a healthy one!

If you can't wait for my frequent FIT TIPS you may read the online article from the American Cancer Society now, just follow this link.