The Dream Team: Low-Intensity Workouts

Each month iVillage poses a different question to our Dream Team of experts. Here's what we asked this month: Should I bother exercising ‑- for example, walking a mile in the evening ‑- if I'm not getting my heart rate up?

Liz Neporent, MA
While it's true that a leisurely walk won't get you in shape to run a marathon, every bit of movement counts when it comes to improving your health. That evening stroll, even if it doesn't make your heart pound, will go a long way toward making you feel better, improving your stamina and protecting you against long-term health issues such as heart disease and cancer. And even if it doesn't help you lose weight, it might help prevent further weight gain. That's a pretty good deal for something that takes so little time and that's so easy to do.

The secret to using exercise for better health is to move as much as you can whenever you can. Accumulating at least 30 minutes of activity throughout the day is just as good as getting it all done in one shot. So besides that leisurely walk, look for other ways to ratchet up your activity level, such as walking the dog and taking the stairs.

Keep a movement journal for a couple of weeks to get an idea of how much (or how little) you're on the move. You can use the journal to spot your typical pattern and help you come up with ideas for increasing your activity. You might consider wearing a pedometer to track your daily step count, with the aim of getting in at least 5,000 steps a day to maintain your weight and 10,000 steps a day to begin losing weight.

Lisa Lillien, "Hungry Girl" Yes, of course! Get in whatever exercise you can. To me, it's the same as people questioning others when they order a Diet Coke with their burger and fries. I'm actually all for that, too. This is a similar situation. In the case of the Diet Coke thing, do what you can to cut calories. And when it comes to being active, do what you can to stay in shape or keep your body moving, even if you can't get your heart rate up. Walking, even at a slow pace, is still good for you. (By the way, your takeaway here should not be to walk slowly and eat lots of fries.)

For more from Lisa Lillien, go to hungry-girl.com.

Jonny Bowden, MA, CN, CNS
Absolutely. The whole heart-rate thing is so widely misunderstood anyway, especially the idiotic "fat-burning zone" stuff that some aerobic teachers are still preaching. But don't get me started. The point is this: Any exercise is better than no exercise. Moving the remote control beats sitting still. Getting up and changing the channel beats clicking the remote. Walking around the block beats both of them. Get my drift? A mile walk can still burn calories, increase circulation, lower blood sugar (and insulin) and make you feel good.

And by the way, you are getting your heart rate up, if by "up" you mean higher than resting. You're just not getting it into serious training zones, but that doesn't mean your walk doesn't do you any good. It does.

So do it.

Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE
There are many positives to lower-intensity types of exercise such as stretching, yoga and an after-dinner stroll. Low-intensity walking can help keep your mind healthy, and you're still increasing the strength of your leg muscles, even if your heart rate isn't going up. In fact, low-intensity exercise can often take the edge off your appetite, while high-intensity exercise can stimulate you to eat more. The hard, cold reality is that some exercise is better than no exercise.

Once you've established an exercise routine, however, try to increase your heart rate at least once or twice each week, or for three to five minutes during each workout, to continue making gains in muscle strength and endurance while you burn even more calories.