Health, Fitness and Weight Loss > Is 30 minutes a day enough?

The find 30 exercise campaign says we should all find time to exercise for 30 minutes every day if we want to improve our health and fitness. But is it enough?
Aug 16, 2009 | Registered CommenterElle
Ok to start the ball rolling on this particular question. No I don't think 30 minutes a day is long enough - if you sit down for a good portion of the day (as I do). But it's a start - a very good start. If you've found your weight creeping up every year and having to buy bigger sizes - then you are probably (I say a very high probable) your energy equation is balanced the wrong way. As in you are not doing enough exercise for the food (energy) you are consuming.
At the moment I am aiming to walk every morning this week - and also go to the gym for 3 sessions...to see if that will start to tip the balance back. How about you? Are you balancing your energy equation or do you need to do a bit more than 30 minutes a day like me?
Aug 18, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterElle
One of the best ways of getting more "exercise" into your day, is to not think of movement as exercise at all. Playing with the kids, walking the dog, walking the neighbors dog if you don't have one, cleaning the house, ironing, gardening, cleaning windows - they are all fantastic ways of doing exercise without doing exercise. Last weekend I spent most of one day cleaning and rearranging the furniture in the house. Moving things so you can vaccum under them, behind them. Reaching, bending, stretching - you name it, it moved my muscles in ways a gym can't. Of course you don't have to do it all on the same day as I did - bit extreme even for me, but why not tackle one room a day, or clean out your closets and drawers - all great workouts and you get the added bonus of having everything sorted.
Mar 13, 2010 | Registered CommenterElle
Is no-one talking to me?

I personally think 30 minutes is a good start, but there are other ways to get more exercise into your day - just break it down.

Try going for a walk in the morning, take your gym shoes and walk at lunch time and then again at night time - if you don't have to watch your dinner cooking (as in you can put it into the oven) then you can use the time to go for a walk, or get on the exercise bike or stepper. It's not hard to create opportunities to exercise, you just have to want to do it.
May 4, 2010 | Registered CommenterElle
I personally think that 30 mins a day is simply not enough. I think spending an hour or more would be enough exercise a day. But i suppose someone could get by with 30 mins a day if they were doing some tough exercises.
May 26, 2010 | Unregistered Commenteranthony
Thanks Anthony - since I posted the question I have started working with a personal training organisation called Efit121 - http://www.efit121.com.au all their sessions are 30 minutes long and boy are they tough - but my trainer also says that a 30 - 60 minute walk most days is a great way of burning fat and keeping fit at the same time. But it also depends on the energy equation - food in vs food burned - as my trainer is also a dietician she is correcting my diet as well as training my mind and body -

So to answer my own question - 30 minutes a day - depends how much you want to improve your fitness, if you need to lose fat / gain muscle. But it does depend on what exercise you are doing (as anthony said).
May 26, 2010 | Registered CommenterElle