As we are in the Holiday Season and the general weight gain for the season
is 6‹10 pounds, here are some suggestions for Active Living:

Active Living‹Be Physically Active
     Source: US Department of Health and Human Services‹Health Facts
   Many people feel they don¹t have time for regular physical
activity, or they¹re too tired. But being physically active every
day is one important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Increasing
your heartbeat, strengthening your muscles, and increasing
your flexibility contribute to physical fitness. Being physically
fit has a number of health benefits in both the short-term and
the long-term.
   Research shows that regular physical activity can promote
psychological well-being and aid in reducing feelings of mild to
moderate depression and anxiety. On a day that you¹re feeling
a bit tired, down, or stressed, consider taking a brisk walk‹it
can help you.
   Leading a physically active lifestyle can also help maintain a
healthy weight and prevent weight gain. Expending calories
through physical activity can help balance the calories you take
in as food. Just remember, don¹t counteract all the physical
activity you do by eating a lot of unhealthy foods.
People with higher levels of physical activity are at lower risk
for developing chronic disease. Regular physical activity can
reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure,
stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer,
and osteoporosis.
   Different intensities and types of activity provide different
benefits. Generally, if you are able to talk while performing the
physical activity, it¹s moderately intense. But if you¹re breathing
hard and it¹s hard to hold a conversation, the activity is vigorously
intense. Vigorously intense activity burns more calories
per unit of time.
For most people, moderately intense physical activities include:

€ Walking briskly
€ Doing yard work
€ Scrubbing the floor
€ Actively playing with children
€ Biking at a casual pace

For most people, vigorously intense activities include:

€ Jogging or running
€ Swimming laps
€ Jumping rope
€ Rollerblading/in-line skating at a brisk pace
€ Playing sports such as basketball or soccer
€ Cross-country skiing
 
HERE¹S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Reduce your risk for chronic disease.
Do at least 30 minutes of moderately-intense physical activity,
above usual activity, on most days of the week. You don¹t need
to do it all at once‹it¹s all right to break up your physical
activity into three, 10-minute times throughout the day. And,
increasing the intensity or the amount of time that you are
physically active can have even greater health benefits.
 
Help manage body weight and prevent weight gain.
You may need at least 60 minutes of moderately to vigorously
intense activity, above usual activity, on most days of the week
to manage your weight. At the same time, watch the calories
in the food you eat‹you can figure out the right number of
daily calories for you on the Estimated Calories Needed table
on page 1. To sustain weight loss, about 60 to 90 minutes of
moderately intense physical activity each day may be needed. -
These levels may seem overwhelming, but this effective
strategy is used by people who have successfully lost weight
and kept it off.
 
Achieve physical fitness.
This includes cardiovascular conditioning (getting your heart rate
up), stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or
calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance. Combining these
different types of exercises can help you be stronger.

Practice Active Living over the Holiday Season,

Leroy Fanning
Health and Human Performance
 

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