The Voice, 8/19

Older adults stay fit through outdoor classes, home routines

By Debra Kaszubski

Adults typically should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But it’s different during this coronavirus pandemic, says Tamara Hew-Butler, an associate professor of exercise and sports science at Wayne State University. Instead, Hew-Butler recommends 20 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week. People, however, can modify that guidance according to their normal fitness routines. But exercise no more than five times a week and no exercise if you have flu-like symptoms, Hew-Butler adds. Research on the response of the body’s immune system to exercise shows moderate exercise is “the sweet spot” and inactivity or exercising too much can increase your risk of respiratory viruses, says Hew-Butler, an avid runner. The goal during a pandemic, she explains, is to maintain your fitness level, not increase it.