What Is the Recommended Exercise Routine for a 150-Pound Female?

Based on body mass index, a woman who is over 5 feet 5 inches tall and 150 pounds is "normal weight," according to the National Institutes of Health, and at 5 feet 5 or under is "overweight." Physicians everywhere agree that it's necessary for everyone to work out, not simply for weight loss but for overall health and fitness. An exercise regimen can increase your bone and heart health, help you think better and sleep better and make you stronger. It can even make you look leaner without dropping a pound.

  1. Aerobic Activity

    • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 get either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week. Activities like fast walking, doubles tennis or mowing the lawn are considered moderate-intensity. During this kind of exercise, your heart rate should increase and you should be working hard enough to sweat. High-intensity exercises include running, going on a vigorous bike ride or playing basketball. This kind of exercise gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe hard. To reap the benefits, you should do aerobic activity in at least 10-minute chunks of time.

    Strength Training

    • The CDC also suggests that you work out your major muscle groups -- arms, shoulders, chest, legs -- at least twice a week. You can lift weights at home or at a gym, use a resistance band, or complete body-weight exercises such as pushups and situps. Whatever the exercise, do two to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. The last rep should be difficult to complete -- if it's not, you should lift more weight or try a more difficult exercise. Note that the time you spend strength training doesn't count toward your aerobic activity.

    More Aerobics?

    • You can reap even greater health benefits by increasing your moderate-intensity aerobics to five hours per week or your high-intensity aerobics to 2.5 hours while continuing to strength train at least two days per week. This may sound like a lot, but 2.5 hours is only a half hour per weekday, the same length of the average sitcom.

    Keys to Success

    • If you need help staying focused on your goals, join a gym, go to exercise classes or meet up with a friend for regular exercise. Remember, you can complete your aerobics in 10-minute spurts, so taking a brisk walk at your lunch hour will count toward your goal. Don't drastically increase your caloric intake just because you're working out. If you meet the above exercise goals and make half your plate fruits or veggies at each meal, you should be well on your way to total body health and fitness.