Prescription

• FITT Principle
  • Frequency: how often should you exercise? 
    • 3-5 times a week, with activity most days per week
    • Reduce sedentary (low activity) time

• • • • It’s not healthy for you! Try standing, walking short distances to start
  • Intensity: how hard should I work when I exercise?
    • 40-75% VO2 peak
    • Heart rate needs to be monitored if you’re on beta blockers
  • Time: how much time should I spend exercising?
    • 20-60 minutes is what’s recommended, either all together or broken up during the day (10 minute sessions)
  • Type: what is the best type of exercise for me to do?
    • Aerobic exercise 
      • Weight lifting, yoga, Tai chi
      • Blood vessels, heart, and other organs get additional benefit
• Of the four components, intensity is the hardest to determine
  • It requires individualization
    • Depends on person’s health
      • Heart rate may be impacted by medications taken (i.e., beta blockers)
    • Talk test
      • If you can continue to talk and/or sing, you’re at a mild pace
      • If you can talk, but can’t sing, you’re at a more moderate pace
      • If you can’t talk or if it’s harder to talk, you’re at the most intense pace for you
• Type of exercise is important to discuss as well
  • There should be a goal in mind for what you want to achieve for your exercise
  • You need to be able to move your body! Don’t become sedentary
  • There are different levels of exercise that can be fitted to an individual’s plan (can be done sitting or standing, mild or intense, etc.)