Not to be negative, but I wasn’t really surprised when I saw a new report about how so many Americans are missing their exercise goals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about a third of adults are not meeting the minimum levels of physical activity from the newly released 2008 Guidelines.

Those guidelines recommend two and a half hours a week of moderate activity, like brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, like running. Doesn’t seem like that much, does it?

Other guidelines – from the government’s Healthy People 2010 – say we need at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous activity three days a week. Only half of those surveyed in the CDC’s report meet those goals.

And even stronger guidelines come from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) – that groups says we should exercise at least an hour a day to maintain our health and weight.

Why so many guidelines? Which ones – if any – do you follow?

Me – I’ve been slacking a little because of the evil winter season (we don’t get along), but my exercise levels are usually more along the guidelines of the IOM.

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We  hear a lot about the health benefits of walking. Now a new study from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center confirms how it can be so good for you. Researchers say something as simple as brisk walking can boost weight loss while trimming dangerous belly fat and overall body fat.

And if you want to get even more out of it, here’s how you can give your abs a workout when you go on a walk.

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It may not be easy, but if you’re genetically prone to obesity, there may be a way to fight the fat gene – lots and lots of exercise. A new study finds you can beat the effects of your family history by getting three to four hours of moderate activity a day – that includes things like brisk walking, housecleaning and gardening.

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Here’s one reason why it’s never too late to start exercising – a new small study from Australia finds brisk walking helps memory problems in seniors. Researchers say the increased blood flow may give a slight boost to the aging brain. Even though the results show only slight improvements in the elderly’s memory, they back up other studies that have shown the potential mental benefits from physical activity.

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Lace up those tennis shoes and get moving – it could keep you from having a debilitating stroke.

A new study finds if you’re moderately fit, your risk of stroke goes way down.

“We found that a low-to-moderate amount of aerobic fitness for men and women across the whole adult age spectrum would be enough to substantially reduce stroke risk,” says lead author Steven Hooker, Ph.D., University of South Carolina.

So just how much exercise do you need? Hooker says 30 minutes or more of brisk walking – or an equivalent aerobic activity – five days a week is enough to help protect you.

The study looked at more than 60,000 adults ages 18-100 at the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. Participants were divided into four groups based on their levels of fitness and followed for an average of 18 years. During that time, 692 men and 171 women had strokes.

Results show men in the most fit group had a 40 percent lower risk of stroke than those in the least fit group. And women who were most fit lowered their risk by 43 percent compared with women who were the least fit.

Hooker says one of the limitations of the study is that most of the participants were white, well-educated and middle-upper income. He recommends studying other populations.

About 780,000 adults in the U.S. have a stroke each year. According to the American Stroke Association, it is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in this country and the third leading cause of death.

The study was presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2008.

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• Want to step up your workout? Add a pedometer to your routine
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• Many Americans don’t meet exercise goals – no matter which guidelines you use