Getting started

Exercise is important for a multitude of reasons.

• It can help decrease the risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, colon cancer and obesity.

• It can help reduce the risk of having a second heart attack. Exercise has beneficial effects on total blood cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

• It can help increase energy and endurance and, by increasing metabolism, can help maintain normal weight.

• It can help relieve stress and anxiety, contributing to mental well-being. It has also been shown to help treat depression.

• Lastly, exercise can help the elderly. It not only reduces some of the effects of aging, but also keeps joints, tendons and ligaments flexible, making it easier to move around. There is also an increase in strength and balance.

The bad news is that people still are not getting enough exercise. Everyone can benefit in some way by regular physical activity, whether you are trying to maintain a weight loss or just feel more energetic when you incorporate exercise into your daily activities. There are also the benefits later in life from exercising. These include reductions in the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Types of exercise

Aerobic:

* Brisk walking

* Dancing

* jogging

* Bicycling

* Skating

* Swimming

* Leaf raking

* Vacuuming

Anaerobic:

* Baseball

* Sprinting

* Tennis

* Weight lifting

* Leg lifts

* Arm circles

* Dusting

* Doing laundry

* Washing windows

Speak to your doctor before starting an exercise program!

This is particularly important if you:

• Are elderly

• Currently smoke

• Have any health problems

• Are overweight or obese

• Have not been active in the past

• Are currently pregnant

• Are unsure of your health status

• Feel pain in your chest, joints, or muscles during activity.

When a doctor has cleared you to begin an exercise program, you want to start out slowly. Walking is a good way to begin. Start with a 10-minute period of light exercise or a walk every day. You can then gradually increase the intensity of the exercise and the duration.

Don’t know where to start?

Try one of these activities:

* Walking or jogging

* Swimming

* Bicycle riding

* Group exercises

* Weight-bearing exercises, such as weight lifting, resistance bands, or activities involving the whole body

* Stretching, such as yoga or tai chi exercises

* Participation in active sports, such as tennis, basketball and soccer

Current recommendations

Current recommendations on physical activity for adults include one of the following two choices:

• Adults should engage in moderate-intensity physical activities for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week (CDC/American College of Sports Medicine). It is important to note that 30 minutes of physical activity can be accumulated in bouts of 10 minutes throughout the day.

• Adults should engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity 3 or more days per week for 20 or more minutes per occasion (Healthy People 2010).

Moderate-intensity activity: What is it?

A good example of a moderate-intensity exercise would be brisk walking. Moderate-intensity activities are usually associated with slight increases in breathing and heart rate.