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Joined: 01 October 2003 Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline Posts: 59
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Posted: 04 May 2004 at 12:53pm | IP Logged
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- Be moderately physically active at least 30 minutes a day on 5 or more days
a week. This is the minimum amount of physical activity you need for
health. If you can't do 30 minutes, try increments of 10 or 15 minutes, adding
up to 30 minutes a day.
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Keep in mind that proper nutrition and physical activity go hand in hand.
One without the other is a recipe for failure. Just because you walked for 30
minutes doesn't mean you can reward yourself with a pint of your favorite ice
cream!
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Build physical activity into your daily routine. Adding 30 minutes of
walking to your daily schedule will use, on average, around 150 calories per
day, enough to lose over a pound during May Month. You can lose more than 15
pounds in a year, if you keep it up and follow a healthy diet.
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Try building small amounts of physical activity into your day at work.
Take the stairs, park your car further away, get off the bus a stop earlier,
take a walk at lunch.
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Keep a log of your progress in maintaining daily physical activity.
Make filling in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on the log a
priority each day.
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Continually upgrade your fitness program. Choose physical activities
you enjoy that you'll keep doing. Consider earning a Presidential Sports
Award, which includes over 60 activities you can choose from to earn
Presidential recognition for your fitness efforts. You can earn the award
individually or as a family or group.
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For added health benefits, do 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity
three or more times a week. This might include running, aerobics,
swimming, or working out on cardiovascular equipment in a gym (treadmill,
Stairmaster, elliptical trainer), and do strength training and flexibility
activities at least 2 times per week. To lose weight through physical
activity, you need to engage in vigorous physical activity for at least 40
minutes no less than 3 times per week. (NOTE: if you are habitually sedentary/
inactive, see your health care provider before beginning a program of physical
activity).
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Shift your fitness focus to your health, not just your appearance. You
can add years to your life and reduce major health risks by following a sound
nutrition and physical activity program. And you'll look better and feel
better too! Americans are notoriously obsessed with body weight. Weigh
yourself once and measure against your BMI (Body Mass Index)
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Avoid being obsessed with weight as it appears on a scale. People who
do vigorous physical activity may increase lean body mass while decreasing
their overall fat level. This can result in a loss of inches without weight
loss, since muscle weighs more than fat. Weigh once, then put the scale away
while you focus on physical activity and nutrition
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Play actively with your children every day. This can be in the yard at
home or away from home. Take the kids and the dog, if you have one, with you
for a walk. Make sure children get an hour of physical activity each day to
help the whole family stay healthy, physically and emotionally.
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Include elderly family members and friends and those with health conditions
and disabilities in your fitness activities. You'll help them to become
healthier and live longer.
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If you are an older American, or if you are disabled or have a health
condition, focus on your individual abilities and work on becoming and staying
as physically active/fit as you can.
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