Activity Is The King

Activity Is The King

How active are you? Did you know that the more you move around, the more calories you burn? It’s in everyone’s best interest to be as active as possible. Not only will it help you stay slim, but it can improve blood circulation, make your heart and lungs work more efficiently, and even give you a better outlook on life.

I know there are a lot of temptations that can keep you from being active, especially today with all the great programming on satellite TV, cable and even on your tablet or smart phone. But it’s important to remain active. Try to make it a point to do some sort of physical activity every day, not just once in a while or when it’s convenient for you.

If you currently have a completely sedentary lifestyle, you can start by walking briskly, riding a bicycle on flat ground or doing some other not-so-strenuous activity that you enjoy, such as line dancing or working outside in your garden. If you choose these types of moderate activities, you should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of these types of things per week.

Workout

If you are looking for a workout that is a little more vigorous and you are for the physical challenge, try jumping rope, playing basketball or soccer, swimming laps at your local pool, or taking an aerobics exercise class. If you choose these type of vigorous activities, you should do at least an hour and 15 minutes of them per week in order to get the full physical benefits.

You don’t have to choose one or the other, either. If you want, you can combine moderate and vigorous activities. Just remember that one minute of vigorous activity is equal to two minutes of moderate activity so you can make sure you are getting as much exercise as you should.

Children

If you have children, make sure they are getting at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. They have a lot of excess energy to burn off! That’s why there’s always recess periods scheduled during school days.

Adults

For adults, the best way to stay active is to avoid inactivity. Every little bit of exercise helps, so doing something is always better than doing nothing. If you are starting from Square One, just do a 10-minute chunk of moderate exercise a couple of days per week until you build your strength. You can do a little more each time and, once you feel comfortable, you can do it more often.

Walking

One of the easiest activities that practically everybody can do is walking. Walking is a great way to build physical activity into your life. Build up your walking so that you are going longer and faster, picking up your pace when you are ready.

Eventually, you will be able to trade moderate activities for more vigorous exercises that take more effort.

Work on being more active so you can feel better and get more out of life. You now only will improve your physical condition, but you can boost your mood and confidence as well.