Are the Government’s New Exercise Guidelines Realistic?

Are you willing to exercise 60 to 90 minutes a day to lose weight? That’s what may be required, at least according to the panel of medical and scientific experts who created the government’s ‘Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005,’ published jointly by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year.

Not surprisingly, the general public has been less than enthusiastic:

“It’s completely discouraging,” said Eileen Peterson, a mother of two young children. “How can I set aside 60 to 90 minutes for exercise? Why even try?”

“There is no way. Work, family, friends, it already adds up to more than 24 hours in a day. The exercise will be the first thing to go,” said Nora Norby, a small business owner.

Debbie Weinhold, an executive administrator with a husband and teenage daughter, agrees. “No way. I don’t even really like exercising! I’m willing to walk at lunch and on weekends, but at the end of the work day, I want to spend time with my family.”

Exactly What Qualifies as Exercise?

According Sandra Swami, corporate wellness expert for Room & Board and new member of Melpomene's Board of Directors, most people cite lack of time as the problem. But she also believes that the definition of ‘exercise’ has become too narrow and turns people off. “Most people think that ‘exercise’ has to take place in a gym or in team sports -- and it has to feel like torture,” she said, “This is simply not true.”