🥷 Precerpt from Grandma's Ninja Diary: That 150-Minutes of Active Training a Week Guideline - What Actually Counts — and Why I Was Wrong About Half of It
I’ve spent most of my life thinking I was getting plenty of exercise. I walk hills. I climb stairs. I haul trash cans that weigh more than some of the people in my family. I do calisthenics every day. I move constantly. So, imagine my surprise when I learned that none of that counts toward the famous 150 minutes of weekly cardio recommended in federal physical health guidelines. Apparently, the body adapts. And mine adapted a long time ago. Here’s what I finally had to admit: If my breathing doesn’t change, it doesn’t count. Not my heart rate. Not my steps. Not my sweat. Just my breathing. If I can talk but not sing, it’s “moderate.” If I can sing, it’s not. This was humbling. Because I can sing my way through most of my daily life. What doesn’t count for me anymore: My hills My stairs My housework My calisthenics My functional strength My “I’m always moving” lifestyle All good things. None of them cardio. What does count: Incline walking on a treadmill Cardio dance Anything th...