Basic Pursuits

Science is learning that exercise is holistic. It has more to do with well-being than simply improving aerobic capacity.

People who are sedentary experience immediate and measurable gains in energy levels when they embark on a low intensity exercise program. Low intensity means in this instance a leisurely 20-minute walk three times a week. Low intensity exercisers reported a 20 percent reduction in levels of fatigue and a 65 percent increase in energy levels.

Twenty minutes of a leisurely walk. Three times a week.

This is great news. Getting started exercising requires practically nothing and the benefits are enormous.

I expect that after six weeks of feeling better, many people will want to increase the intensity of their exercise program because they are now at a different level.

Researchers were surprised to note that the increases in well being were not accompanied by increases in aerobic capacity. As with everything abut humans, there's always more to us than meets the eye.

Low-intensity Exercise Reduces Fatigue Symptoms By 65 Percent, Study Finds