Do the words “fitness”, “physical activity” or “exercise” suggest a painful process that you have to go through in order to alter your appearance? This line of thinking will only make you think that “exercise” is not for you. Too often mainstream culture focuses on how exercise will alter your appearance when the conversation should focus on how regular exercise makes your mind and body feel.
Making the decision to exercise regularly does not mean you need to train for a triathlon or join an expensive gym. There are no strict rules about how we move our bodies. However, the science is clear–physical activity is necessary for a heart healthy life and is a major contributor to overall health.
We challenge you to find movement that you enjoy. We cannot overstate the importance of this suggestion. If you choose an activity that has the potential to bring you joy it is much more likely that it will become a sustainable habit. Physical activity can be any occasion that you engage in movement that gets your heart beating faster and makes your muscles work harder than when you are at rest.
Regular physical activity can look like playing with kids or grandkids, dancing, practicing yoga, gardening, doing household chores, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator…the list could run on and on! We encourage you to work towards engaging in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days of muscle strengthening activities each week, as recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Your chosen activity can be broken up into 2, 5, 10, or 20-minute blocks throughout the day, which will add up each week.
Bottom Line: Find opportunities to move your body, however, and wherever you can because it all benefits your physical and mental health.
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