Change Your Life in 22 Minutes a Day

My daily routine, how much exercise you need to reach 150 minutes a week

The recommended amount of physical activity is at least 150 minutes per week for lowering risk for diabetes. That works out to less than 22 minutes per day, and those may be some of the most productive minutes you ever spend.

People who rarely exercise may be 50% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who exercise for more than 150 minutes per week.

Get Motivated

You are more likely to do things you want to do than things you do not care about. When, for example, was the last time you missed your child's birthday party, or slept through the alarm on the morning of the flight to your summer vacation location?

If you want to get active for those 22 minutes, find your reasons and keep them close at hand. You may want to gain energy, sleep better, control weight, and improve heart health. If you are trying to live a healthier life and become more active or lose weight, you probably have reasons to do so. Reasons may include:

• Wanting to be around to see your children get married and have children
• Wanting to be able to play with your grandchildren without worrying about blood sugar
• Not wanting to take diabetes medications or go to many medical appointments
• Not wanting to worry about diabetes complications

What are your reasons?

Ways to Find 22 Minutes

Time is a valuable commodity, so you may need to be creative to find your 22 minutes. You may be able to squeeze in your activity by…

• Skipping some television or walking on a treadmill while you walk
• Exercising while taking a brisk walk
• Walking for 11 minutes before work and 11 minutes at lunch
• Use a home workout on your own or with an exercise video and save time by skipping the gym
• Exercising for longer on the weekends or days when you have more time. It is okay to exercise an hour for each day on the weekends and for 10 minutes during the week. Everything counts, and anything is better than nothing.

You may be saying right now, "Fine, but I simply do not have 22 minutes a day. My day is packed, and I cannot give up anything." You are not alone, and all is not lost. In the days of multitasking, why not multitask your way to better health?

Take calls at work while walking, kick a soccer ball around the field while your kids are practicing, or ask your friends to meet you for a walk before you go to the mall.

A Productive 22 Minutes

Now, what are you going to do during those 22 minutes? You can walk, bike, swim, or do jumping jacks. You can dance in a class, with kids, or alone. You can beautify your home and garden vigorously. In short, you can do anything you like as long as it gets your heart rate up. Keep trying until you find activities that you enjoy, whether they are alone, with exercise buddies, or in a class.

However you are able to find those 22 minutes per day, Lark can support you. Pay attention when your Lark coach sends you a notification to get active and think if there is a way to get moving for a few minutes. Log all of your activity and stay proud of your accomplishments, which Lark may tell you about often. Lark is ready to cheer you on to prevent T2!

Need some ideas for exercise? Here are 10 ways to find time for exercise.