What Can Physical Activity Do For You?

• Gives you more energy

• Improves your mood

• Reduces body fat and firms muscles

• Lowers body weight

• Reduces stress, anxiety and depression

• Lowers risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure

How Active Should You Be?

Accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week

• Moderate activity can include daily activities like walking briskly, bicycling and house cleaning or working out at the gym

• You can split your activities into three 10-minute segments

Plan Activity into Your Schedule

• Set realistic goals

• Begin slowly

• Write specific activities on your calendar or appointment book

7:00am Walk dog10:00am Walk 10 minutes during break12:00pm Walk 15 minutes after lunch7:30pm Vacuum downstairs for 15 minutes

How Can You Become More Fit?

• Increase everyday activities

• Begin a structured exercise program

Increasing Everyday Activities

Choose to be more active:• at home

• at work

• during leisure time

Be More Active at Home

• Walk your dog

• Make several trip up and down stairs throughout the day

• Take activity breaks

during TV commercials

Be More Active at Home

• Do your own house cleaning,

lawn maintenance, gardening

• Walk briskly around your

neighborhood

Be More Active at Work

• Park your car at the far end of the parking lot and walk for 10 minutes

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator

• Get up from computer to walk

every 30-60 minutes

Be More Active at Work

• Take a 10-15 minute walking

break at lunch and coffee breaks

• Park and walk inside restaurants

instead of using drive-through

Be More Active During Leisure Time

Get your family involved in physical rather than sedentary activities:

• Plan activities like hiking, bicycling, dancing

• Visit museums and the zoo

• Join a walking club in your area

• Take up tennis or golf

Be More Active During Leisure Time

• Take classes in dance, yoga, tai chi, or water aerobics

• Play games like soccer, volleyball,

or badminton with the entire

family

Starting an Exercise Program A good exercise program includes:

• Stretching– To improve flexibility and prevent injury

• Endurance– To improve fitness of your heart and lungs,

lower risk of heart and other chronic diseases

• Strength training– To strengthen muscles and increase endurance

Types of Activities

Choose moderate-intensity activities that:

• You will enjoy

• You can do all year round

Include a variety of activities to prevent boredom and help prevent injury

Moderate-Intensity Activities

• Brisk walking– Usually convenient for most people– Indoor facilities available in many areas

• Swimming– If indoor pool is unavailable, have

alternative activity for cold weather

• Stationary bike

• Dancing

Exercise Sessions

Each exercise session should include:• Warm-up

• Work-out

• Cool-down

Warm-up

• Begin activity at slow pace for 5-10 minutes

• Warms up muscles and joints

• Helps prevent injury to muscles

Work-Out

• Work toward doing a moderate-intensity activity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week

• Perform at an intensity that is challenging, but not too strenuous– Take the talk test - you should be

able to talk while exercising

Measuring Heart Rate

• Determine your target heart range.

• Test your pulse at your wrist or neck for 10 seconds immediately after you stop exercising.

• Multiply this number by 6 to determine if your heart rate during exercise is in your target range.

Cool-Down

• Gradually slow the pace of your activity for the last 5-10 minutes– Gradually brings heart rate back to normal

• Always finish with stretching– Keeps you flexible– Prevents injuries

Strengthen Muscles

Include muscle-strengthening exercises twice per week to:

• Improve balance

• Reduce risk of osteoporosis

• Improve flexibility

• Tone muscles

• Prevent muscle loss