Part 3. Keeping It Up, Stepping It Up

Already doing 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of aerobic physical activity? Good for you! Do

you want to gain even more health benefits from physical activity? Slowly add more time to your

weekly routine.

Strive to double your weekly activity time. Work to be active 5 or more hours each week. This activity level can lower your chances of getting breast and colon cancer. Read the next page to find out how to add more effort.

Gaining more health benefits!

Advice to follow:

To get more health benefits, add more time

of aerobic physical activity.

• Try to move from 2 hours and 30 minutes of

moderate-level activities a week to 5 hours or

more a week.

Adding more effort

Instead of doing only moderate-level activities, replace some with vigorous aerobic activities that will make your heart beat even faster. Adding vigorous activities provides benefits in less activity time. In general, 15 minutes of vigorous activity provides the same benefits as 30 minutes of moderate activity.

Have you been walking for 30 minutes 5 days a week? On 2 days, try jogging instead of walking for 15 minutes each time. Keep on walking for 30 minutes on the other 3 days.

Would you like to have stronger muscles? If you have been doing strengthening activities 2 days a week, try adding an extra day.

To add more effort, try some vigorous activitie

Aerobic dance

Basketball

Fast dancing

Jumping rope

Martial arts (such as karate)

Race walking, jogging, or running

Riding a bike on hills or riding faster

Soccer

Swimming fast

Follow one of these activity and then realize your health and fitnees.

Thanks and Regards

Part 2. Making Physical Activity a Part of Your Life

Here are 2 examples for adding more activity

1. You can do more by being active longer each time. Walking for 30 minutes, 3 times a week? Go longer—walk for 50 minutes, 3 times a week.

2. You can do more, by being active more often.

Are you biking lightly 3 days a week for 25

minutes each time? Increase the number of

days you bike. Work up to riding 6 days a week

for 25 minutes each time.

TIPS:

If you have not been this active in the past,

work your way up. In time, replace some moderate

activities with vigorous activities that take more

effort.

Congratulations! You are doing some regular

physical activity each week and are ready to do

more. You may be feeling the benefits of getting

active, such as having fun with friends, sleeping

better, and getting toned. Are you looking for ways

to do more activities at a moderate level?

Activities for stronger muscles and bones

Advice to follow:

Adults should do activities to strengthen muscles and bones at least 2 days a week.

Choose activities that work all the different parts of the body—your legs, hips, back, chest, stomach, shoulders, and arms. Exercises for each muscle group should be repeated 8 to 12 times per session.

Try some of these activities a couple of days a week:

•

Heavy gardening (digging, shoveling)

•

Lifting weights

•

Push-ups on the floor or against the wall

•

Sit-ups

•

Working with resistance bands (long, wide

rubber strips that stretch)

Tip: Some people like resistance bands because they find them easy to use and put away when they are done. Others prefer weights; you can use common grocery items, such as bags of rice, vegetable or soup cans, or bottled water.

Planning your activity for the week

Physical activity experts say that spreading aerobic activity out over at least 3 days a week is best. Also, do each activity for at least 10 minutes at a time. There are many ways to fit in 2 hours and 30 minutes a week. For example, you can

do 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day, for 5 days.

On the other 2 days, do activities to keep your muscles strong. Find ways that work well for you.

Part 1. Getting Started

Start slowly
“The employee wellness program
at my work just started a new
lunchtime walking program. Some
of us walk at a good clip, while
others move at a slower pace.
I get to be outdoors, and I feel
more alert on the days I walk.”

Thinking about adding physical activity to yourlife, but not sure how to get started? Sometimes
taking the first step is the hardest part.

If you have not been active in some time, start at a comfortable level and add a little more activity as you go along. Some people find that getting active with a friend makes it easier to get started.

Is something holding you back?

Think about reasons why you have not been physically active. Then try to come up with some ways to get past what is keeping you from getting active.

Have you said to yourself . . . ?

I haven’t been active in a very long time.

Solution: Choose something you like to do. Many people find walking helps them get started. Before you know it, you will be doing more each day.

I don’t have the time.
Solution: Start with 10-minute chunks of time a couple of days a week. Walk during a break.
Dance in the living room to your favorite music. It all adds up.

It costs too much.
Solution: You don’t have to join a health club or buy fancy equipment to be active. Play tag with your kids. Walk briskly with your dog for 10 minutes or more.

Feeling good
“I recently bought an exercise bike
at a yard sale. I get up early in the
morning and ride. It feels good.
Sometimes I can squeeze in only
10 minutes before I take off for
my job. Even 10 minutes is better
than not doing anything.”

What can physical activity do for you?
You may have heard the good things you can gain
from regular physical activity.
Check off which of these benefits you hope to get
from active living:

• Be healthier
• Increase my chances of living longer
• Feel better about myself
• Have less chance of becoming depressed
• Sleep better at night
• Help me look good
• Be in shape
• Get around better
• Have stronger muscles and bones
• Help me stay at or get to a healthy weight
• Be with friends or meet new people
• Enjoy myself and have fun

Did you know?

When you are not physically active, you are more likely to:

• Get heart disease
• Get type 2 diabetes
• Have high blood pressure
• Have high blood cholesterol
• Have a stroke

Build up over time

Start by doing what you can, and then look for ways to do more. If you have not been active for a while, start out slowly. After several weeks or months, build up your activities—do them longer and more often.

Walking is one way to add physical activity to your life. When you first start, walk 10 minutes a day on a few days during the first couple of weeks.

Add more time and days. Walk a little longer.Try 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes. Then walk on more days a week.

Pick up the pace. Once this is easy to do, try walking faster. Keep up your brisk walking for a
couple of months. You might want to add biking on the weekends for variety.

How much physical activity do you need each week?

Advice to follow:
Aerobic
•
Adults should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity that requires moderate effort.
•
You need to do this type of activity for at least 10 minutes at a time.
Strengthening
•
Adults should also do strengthening activities at least 2 days a week.
•
Strengthening activities include push-ups, sit-ups and lifting weights