Most people know that being more active is vital to their health. It’s so important that the U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activities most days of the week.
Benefits of physical activity
Almost everyday there are new reports on the positive effects of physical activity. You may know that regular activity helps protect you from high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, depression, osteoporosis and some types of cancer.
Regular physical activities can reduce the exhaustion brought on by stress and give you more energy to work and play. In addition, you may sleep better as well and see an improvement in your body shape, and many more benefits.
Why does it seem so hard to get started?
Life can get busy making you feel pressured. You may have a demanding career, be sending kids to college or need more time helping aging relatives. Somewhere in between, we need to find time to help ourselves.
Now for the good news!
You don’t have to exercise for hours to gain health benefits. Studies show that 30 minutes of moderate activity-whether you do it all at once or in several sessions of fast walking or activities with similar intensity-most days of the week will give you outstanding health benefits. So begin identifying pockets of time in your day and turning them into action. There are many simple ways to add activity to your life. Here are just a few examples below:
Getting up 15 minutes early for a quick walk
Riding a stationary bike during the news or a favorite TV show
Going for a walk meeting instead of a sit-down meeting
Buying a telephone headset that allows you to use a home treadmill while talking
Parking further from work or the grocery store.
Using the stairs instead of an elevator whenever possible
Taking an extra lap around the mall when shopping.
It's never too late to start
It’s easy to find a few minutes a day to be active once you get in the habit. Once you get started, it becomes a normal way of life to you and becomes part of your daily routine.
Are you convinced yet?
Remember that change is an ongoing process-any kind of changes takes commitment and time, but it’s never too late to start. Keep these 7 tips in mind:
Take one step at a time -Don’t do too much-Keep it simple
Be patient with yourself -It’s important to feel good about your improvements along the way.
Concentrate on specific, achievable daily activities –Setting goals that are too big or too far in the future can lead to disappointment when results don’t come right away. By focusing on at least 30 minutes of daily activity, before you know it, you’ll reach those long term goals( energy, weight control, stronger bones, muscle tone, and more).
Record your progress – This will give you concrete evidence about where you started and how far you’ve come.
Surround yourself with positive people -Your health goals matter the most to you, and it’s certainly possible to achieve them on your own, But supportive friends and family can be a big help when you are starting out and along the way.
Have an action plan to follow – Write small daily goals for physical activities at the beginning of the week and place them where you’ll see them each day. Review your progress at the end of the week and repeat the process.
Reward yourself – Allowing yourself to have something personal and meaningful for accomplishing your goals creates a positive pattern. Keep rewards simple and healthy.
What should you do if ...
You become sick? – Rest is important in the healing process, when you’re sick. Allow your body to direct energy to repairing itself. When you feel better, you can return to your normal activity level.
You have symptoms during exercise? – Learn the normal responses to exercise. As you gradually increase your activity amount and intensity, your body will respond by a higher heart rate, breathing rate, and perspiration level. This is normal, if you begin to feel different while exercising , get your Doctor’s advice. It could be your body’s way of warning you that something’s wrong. Review the symptoms below of what’s normal and what’s not normal during physical activities.
YOUR BODY'S RESPONSE TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
NORMAL
Faster heartbeat
A FEW SKIPPED HEARTBEATS
FASTER BREATHING
DEEPER BREATHING
MORE PERSPIRATION
SOME TEMPORARY MUSCLE STIFFNESS
ABNORMAL
Chest pain, pain down your arm, heaviness in your chest
Continual heart pounding, fluttering, or un even heartbeats
Faster breathing, lightheadedness or feeling faint, dizziness, numbness, or pain
Extreme breathlessness that keeps you from carrying on a conversation during activity
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