Making Physical Activity a Part of Your Life

  Doing More “I started taking a 45-minute water aerobics class with a group of women from church. It’s really a   lot of fun, and I am getting in shape. I started out going 2 days a week, and now my goal is to make it to all 3 classes a week.” 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? 6 Be Active  Your  Way: A Guide for Adults 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. Tip:  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. 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: 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. 7 rubber strips that stretch)
lanning 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. Want to learn more about how to add physical activity to your life? activities to try. your job. www.healthfinder.gov  and type “activity” in the search box.