How Much Time Do You Need To Invest To Stay Fit

I don’t know the answer to the question and apparently most people on this earth are unsure of the correct answer.
Some years ago it was recommended that moderate exercise three times a week was adequate.
The most recent recommendations specify vigorous intense activity preferably every day of the week.
The minimum amount of time I see recommended is 30 minutes a day.
Cardio is strongly recommended.
Weight Training is strongly recommended.
If you are over 65 balance exercises and stretching are strongly recommended.
It is also beneficial if you are under 65.
Core musculature is now known to be the most critical of all muscle groups for providing balance, athletic movements and decreased injuries in athletes.
Core musculature may be exercised with crunches, side planks, leg lifts, throw downs and on and on. These exercises are strongly recommended.
So how much time does it take to stay fit?
Cardio should be intense and last at least one hour a day. Circuit training is a superb method and stair climbing is good for off days.
Weight training depending on your goals can take 30 minutes to an hour every day for different sets of muscles.
Core exercises are necessary at least five to six days a week and doing a set of 1000 crunches while mixing up the various types of moves can easily take 30 minutes.
Stretching in the form of Yoga or Pilates can take an hour three to four times a week.
So add it up:
1. Core: 2 hours a week
2. Cardio: 2 hours a week
3. Circuit: 3 hours a week
4. Balance: 2 hours a week
5. Stretch: 1 to 2 hours a week
6. Weights: 3 hours a week
This adds up to 13 hours every week of the year. The total time commitment for the year would be 683 hours or 8% of the total hours in a year.
We already spend about 11 hours a day (46%) of the year sleeping and eating.
The rest of the time we worry, work and play.
Think of the 8% as a savings account, investing it in your best asset, yourself.
Americans aren’t used to investing at these levels, thus the financial woes and the health care crisis.
We can remedy both with the above plan.
If you exercise that much you won’t have time to spend money and you will get fit.