Okay, it’s January. So you might be thinking about renewing your commitment to getting in shape! Of course you know how important physical activity is for preventing health problems. But just how much exercise do you really need? The answer varies depending on your goal.

If you suffer from mild depression, as little as 20 minutes a week may help you beat the blues.

If cardiac fitness is your goal, the minimum recommendation is 150 minutes per week.

And if you’re aiming for weight loss, that’s going to take at least 250-300 minutes per week. The good news is that you can benefit from exercise sessions as short as 10 minutes. This can help when you don’t have time to do a 30-60 minute workout.

And how hard do you have to work? Shoot for an intensity level which allows you to talk to a companion and not too hard that you’re breathless.

If you’d like more info about getting physically active, you can download a great brochure at http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/adultguide/default.aspx

Happy New Year!