Whilst individual capacity for physical activity may vary, keeping yourself physically active, within your own level of ability, can help to prevent major illnesses and combined with a good diet is the basis for a healthy lifestyle.
The UK government recommendation is that adults should try to fit in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week along with strength exercises. Children and younger people are encouraged to aim for 60 minutes every day.
Health benefits of physical exercise
Evidence has shown that physical activity can reduce the risk of developing many major illnesses sometimes by as much as 50%. It can also help to reduce the risk of an early death. Amongst other benefits exercise will increase levels of HDL (‘good’ cholesterol), reduce high blood pressure and have beneficial effects if you have arthritis and lower back pain. It can also help you to feel better about yourself and reduce stress and improve your sleep. With a healthy diet it can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Types of activity
It is not only vigorous exercise or competitive type sports that counts as healthy activity. You should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on at least five days of the week. Moderate intensity activity should lead to increases in your heart rate and breathing rate and you should begin to feel warm. It should still be possible to talk comfortably without panting in between your words. You can get considerable health benefits from regular activity without the need to buy special equipment or get very hot and sweaty.
Increasing physical activity levels
Simple changes to day to day routines will help you to achieve the aim of 30 minutes moderate intensity exercise on at least 5 days. It is not necessary to join the gym or run long distances.
Moderate intensity physical activity can include brisk walking, household chores such as mowing the lawn or vacuuming the house, using stairs at work rather than the lift, walking instead of driving for short journeys, getting off the bus earlier than usual, increasing the speed at which you perform housework. You can combine shorter bouts of activity of 10 minutes or more to make up the 30 minutes. Of course you can also include other sporting or recreational activities like swimming, cycling or the gym.
Children and young people are encouraged to do 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity. The development of healthy bones in children is helped if some of these activities produce a higher degree of physical stress on bones in the body. This could include dancing or aerobics.
Children can increase physical activity levels by walking to and from school, choosing to be active in school break periods or running around with friends. At weekends families can support each other by joining together for activities that will benefit all including walking or swimming or cycling.
Keep fit
Your ability to keep going with physical activity, such as jogging, racket sports, cycling or swimming, is related to your aerobic fitness or stamina.
Keeping it going
Whatever route you take to increase your physical fitness and stamina you and your family are more likely to continue with the activity if you make sure that what you are doing is enjoyable and fun. Activities that you do with other people may have greater scope for enjoyment but try out some different activities to find something you will enjoy. And vary your activities to avoid your chosen activity becoming boring.
Exercise and illness
If you have an existing medical condition or you are concerned that you may injure or harm yourself through exercise, talk to your GP about the risks and ask for guidance about types of activity that you can do safely.
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