Everyone needs regular physical activity — regardless of their shape, size, health, or age. Here's what's in it for you:
- Better energy
- Stronger muscles
- Less stress
- Easier weight management
- Less chance of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other illnesses
"Exercise is boring"
...and other excuses...
"It's boring."
Get a portable radio or music player. Bring a friend along. Switch activities, routes, locations, or times for exercise. Get creative — and keep moving.
"I'm too tired."
Once you get in a routine, you'll find that exercise actually gives you more energy.
"I'm too fat to exercise." and "I'm too clumsy to exercise."
No one's too fat or clumsy (or old, or funny-looking) to be active. Our bodies were made to move! Being active may help you lose weight or get more coordinated — but most importantly, it'll help you be healthier and feel better about the body you have.
"I can't stay motivated."
Nothing motivates like success. Set small, realistic goals for yourself — say 10-minute walks every day this week, 15-minute walks the next, and so on until you reach your long-term goal. Celebrate each milestone as you go!
Ideas to make it happen
Daily activity: choices, chores, and checkups for every day
- Walk, walk, walk. Look for ways to get in a few short walks during the day. Walk to the library, to work, to school. Remember, even 10 minutes of walking a day helps your fitness.
- Take the stairs. Always. Up and down.
- Park smart. Choose parking spots at the far end of the lot. Return shopping carts at the stand farthest away from your car.
- Do the chores. You'll be less stressed — and have more time — if everyone in the family has a daily chore to do. Your chore list might include vacuuming, sweeping, making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes, or fixing dinner.
- Ride your bike. Ride to school or work. Do your weekend errands on your bike. Bike to the movies, to dinner, to friends' houses.
What's sleep got to do with it?
A lot...
- Sleep 8 to 12 hours each night. Studies show that most kids, teens, and adults don't sleep enough. As a result, they often don't learn as well, eat as healthy, or exercise as much as they should. How much sleep do you need? Adults need about 8 hours, teens and older children about 10 hours, and preschoolers about 12 hours (including naps) every day.
- Set bedtimes. This will help make sure you get the sleep you need-and make it easier to be active during the day.
- Expect better sleep as you become more physically active. You won't necessarily sleep longer, but you'll probably go to sleep faster, sleep more deeply, and wake up more refreshed.
- Get a dog. Take Spot for long walks twice a day. Throw a ball or Frisbee.
- Stand up while talking on the phone. Better yet, walk around if you have a cordless phone or a cell phone.
- Enlist your family. Adopt an active daily habit that everyone can do. Get a tape or CD, and do aerobics together every morning. Walk each night after dinner. Get a family pass, and hit the swimming pool or recreation center a few times a week.
- Go for 60, every day. You need at least 60 minutes of activity every day. This includes playtime, exercise, just moving around.
- Track it. Start a chart or log to write down how many minutes of physical activity you do each day. Studies show that tracking helps people stay focused on — and reach — their goals.
Prescription for playtime
Get the info...
Good, old-fashioned playtime.
That's what experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say that kids need more of these days. Spontaneous, free play — whether it's chasing the dog, looking for bugs, playing with blocks and dolls, or just romping on the floor with mom and dad — is important for lots of reasons. Besides boosting kids' physical activity, unstructured play:
- Lowers stress
- Builds creativity
- Nurtures individual interests and talents
- Develops problem-solving skills
Aerobic activity & team sports
- Half an hour for your heart. For 20 to 30 minutes every day, do something — anything! — that gets your heart pumping: biking, running, playing tennis or basketball, fast walking, hiking, in-line skating, cross-country skiing, rowing, playing soccer or lacrosse, swimming, dancing, doing aerobics, jumping rope, and so on.
- Gear up for an event. Sign up for a fun run. Get sponsors for a charity bike ride. Enlist your friends for a relay at the county track meet or community picnic. Why? An upcoming event on the calendar might get you moving on those days when the couch looks especially inviting.
- Organize neighborhood activities. Start a running group, or a "walking school bus" with people in your area. Set up backyard games like kick the can, ultimate Frisbee, or tag.
- Schedule a day for an active outing. Once a week, do something active with your family or group of friends. Friday night bowling. Saturday morning hikes. Sunday swims. Mix it up, and keep it fun!
- Join up. Join a sports team, class, or program that meets at least twice a week. Look up your local Parks & Recreation Centers (by city) on the web, or in the front of the White Pages under the government listings. You can also check schools for aftercare programs, health clubs for classes, and yellow pages for listings of lessons and programs.
Flexibility & strength training
- Stretch yourself. Do stretching activities 2 or 3 times a week. Yoga, Pilates, martial arts, dance, and gymnastics all help with flexibility. So do the old favorites like toe touches, lunges, side bends, and wall pushups.
- Reach — don't strain. Start off slowly with each stretch. Don't bounce or push yourself to the point of pain. Be patient! If you keep stretching gently, day by day you'll find your body becoming more flexible, more relaxed.
- Live stronger. Do strength exercises twice a week. Calisthenics — pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups, knee bends — are best and easiest for most people.
- Watch your weights. If you want to lift weights, keep them light. Teens and kids shouldn't use heavy weights unless a coach or other trained professional can help them lift safely. Lots of repetitions with light weights is a great way to build strength and boost your heart rate at the same time.
We did it together.
A family's success story..."Me, my sister, my mom and dad — we were all talking about wanting to be more fit, have fewer back aches, blah blah blah. Someone finally said, 'Let's do something together.'
We started doing these goofy exercise videos, three times a week after dinner. We looked ridiculous, but it was actually really fun, and a great workout.
Since then, it's just grown. We ride bikes, hike, go to the rec center as a family. My friends and I are more active, too — we all signed up for karate and yoga; we're getting into swing dancing. It's like this: I hated the treadmill, but I like doing things with people, and I love being in shape."