Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl
What is your opinion of exercise, VPL? What is too much, what is too little and what is just about right?
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The first guidelines I read about came from the author of the Zone books. That was a long time ago but I don't think anything has changed much since that time. If I remember correctly, he put the limit at about 45 minutes to one hour of working out at the gym. I suppose that would consist of doing a little of everything from warming up to cooling down. He said too much exercise could create stress hormones (cortisol) which would likely counteract the benefits of the workout.
I believe his books were written mostly with the assumption that many of his readers were looking to lose weight. So, if someone is already lean or thin, I don't think they need to be working out vigorously for the amount of time stated above.
Too little, in my opinion, would be if someone spends all of their day, or most of their day, sitting. Anything is better than nothing, as they say. Yard work, housework, cooking, going for a walk. Work out with some hand weights for 15 or 20 minutes at home.
What's just about right is whatever an individual is capable of without going overboard on the vigorous part. More is not always better.