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Do You Get Enough Exercise?
Evidence suggests that even low- to moderate-intensity activities can have both short- and long-term benefits.
Most Americans get little vigorous exercise at work or during leisure hours. People usually ride in cars or buses and watch TV during their free time rather than be physically active. Evidence suggests that even low- to moderate-intensity activities can have both short- and long-term benefits.
What are the benefits of regular physical activity?
Feel better
- Gives you more energy
- Helps in coping with stress
- Improves your self-image
- Increase resistance to fatigue
- Helps counter anxiety and depression
- Helps you to relax and feel less tense
- Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
- Provides an easy way to share an activity with friends or family and an opportunity to meet new friends
- Increased stamina, strength and flexibility
- Reduce risk of heart attack
Look better
- Tones your muscles
- Burns off calories to help lose extra pounds or helps you stay at your desirable weight
- Helps control your appetite
You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. If your goal is to lose weight, regular physical activity can help you in either of two ways.
- First, you can eat your usual amount of calories (stabilization and maintenance clients), but be more active to maintain your weight.
- Second, you can eat fewer calories (weight loss phase) and be more active to reach your weight loss goal.
Should I consult a physician before I start an exercise program?
Most people do not need to see a physician if they start a gradual, sensible exercise program which will have minimal health risks. However, some people should seek medical advice.
Use the following checklist to find out if you should consult a physician before you start or significantly increase your physical activity.
- Your physician said you have a heart condition and recommended only medically supervised physical activity.
- During or right after you exercise, you frequently have pains or pressure in the left or mid-chest area, left neck, shoulder or arm.
- You have developed chest pain within the last month.
- You tend to lose consciousness or fall over due to dizziness.
- You feel extremely breathless after mild exertion.
- You physician recommended you take medicine for your blood pressure or a heart condition.
- Your physician said you have bone or joint problems that could be made worse by the proposed physical activity.
- You have a medical condition or other physical reason not mentioned here which might need special attention in an exercise program. (For example, insulin-dependent diabetes.)
- You are middle-aged or older, have not been physically active, and plan a relatively vigorous exercise program.
If you’ve checked one or more items, see your physician before you start. If you’ve checked no items, you can start on a gradual, sensible program of increased activity tailored to your needs. If you feel any of the physical symptoms listed above when you start your exercise program, contact your physician right away.
When can you best fit the activity into your schedule?
Do you feel more like being active in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Consider moving other activities around. Schedule your activity as a regular part of your routine. Remember that exercise sessions are spread out over the week and needn’t take more than about 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
By choosing activities you like, you will be more likely to keep doing them regularly and enjoying the many benefits of physical activities.
How do you pace yourself?
Build up slowly. If you’ve been inactive for a long while, remember it will take time to get into shape. Start with low- to moderate-level activities for at least several minutes each day. You can slowly increase your time or pace as you become more fit. And you will feel fit after a few weeks than when you first started.
How hard should you exercise?
It’s important to exercise at a comfortable pace. You should be able to keep a conversation comfortably while exercising.
If you have difficulty breathing, experience faintness or prolonged weakness during or after exercising, you are exercising too hard. Simply cut back.
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