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8 WEEKS TO WELLNESS – WEEK 2 - PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine state, “Every U.S. Adult should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.  

Physical activity protects the body against heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.  It also helps combat stress, depression, and fatigue.  More than that, it helps you feel better about yourself, gives you more energy, and simply makes you feel good!

What is moderate-intensity activity?  Activity that moderately increases your heart rate and breathing but does not cause undue strain, breathlessness or fatigue in healthy adults.

Choose activities you like to do.  Start at an easy level.  If you are not used to regular physical activity, begin with five-to-10-minute intervals once or twice a day.  Slowly build up to 30 minutes or more per day.  It’s OK to break your 30 minutes into two 15-minuter sessions or three 10-minute sessions.

Look for ways to make physical activity fun and enjoyable.  Try a variety or activities.  Make physical activity a key part of your family life.  Get your spouse, partner or children involved.  Plan outings and activities together.  Look for facilities close by that you can use after dark or when the weather is bad.  View activity as play!

Also include stretching and strengthening activities, such as yoga and weight lifting, two to three times per week.  These activities tone muscles and improve figures and physiques.  Strengthening exercises also help build strong bones.

ASSIGNMENT: - Read the information on Physical Activity.  Review your goals and keep a record of your progress.  Try to earn at least 85 Wellness Points this week.



Physical activity is basic to good health.  New research shows that any activity you do is beneficial, and it doesn’t need to be strenuous to have health benefits.  The new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine state:  EVERY U.S. ADULT SHOULD ACCUMULATE 30 MINUTES OR MORE OF MODERATE-INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON MOST, PREFERABLY ALL, DAYS OF THE WEEK.

Examples of Moderate Physical Activities:

    Walking briskly, 3 to 4 mph
    Cycling for pleasure, 8 to 10 mph
    Swimming, moderate level
    Conditioning exercises and calisthenics
    Table tennis
    Golf, walking, carrying or pulling clubs
    Canoeing leisurely, 2 to 4 mph
    Mowing lawn, active gardening
    Low impact aerobics to music


1.  Total Time – If it is more convenient for you, you can break up your activity into two sessions; walk for 15 minutes in the morning, spend another 15 minutes mowing the lawn or going for a bide ride in the evening.  Three 10-minute sessions during the day are likewise beneficial.

Try to be more active throughout the day: walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walk to a store instead of driving, pedal a stationary bike while watching TV, garden, rake leaves, go dancing, and actively play with children.

2.    Intensity – You should be able to maintain moderate activities for 15 to 30+ minutes without undue strain or fatigue.  They should be “fairly easy to somewhat hard.” They should make you breathe deeply, but not get out of breath so much that you can’t carry on a conversation if you want to.  If you break a moderate sweat five to 10 minutes after beginning to exercise, you are working out at a beneficial level.

3.    Progression – If you are not used to doing any physical activity, start with just five to 10 minutes once or twice a day.  Slowly build up to 30 or more minutes daily.

For higher fitness levels, increase the amount of time for each activity session.  Or, if you are in excellent health, increase the intensity to include more vigorous activities such as jogging, biking, swimming, and active sports.  Alternate the days you do more vigorous physical activities with days you do moderate activities.

4.    Medical Clearance – Most adults do not need to see their doctor before starting a moderate-intensity physical activity program.  However, men 40+ or women 50+ years who plan to do vigorous exercises, and people who have chronic disease (such as a heart problem, high blood pressure or diabetes) or risk factors for chronic disease should contact their doctor for help  in designing a safe, effective program.

5.    Health Benefits of Physical Activity – As many as 250,000 premature deaths per year are due to a lack of physical activity. ¹   That is approximately 12 percent of all deaths.  Exercise is protective against many of our nation’s most serious health problems. 1, 3-6  Exercise protects against:
Coronary heart disease
High blood pressure
Mature onset diabetes
Obesity
Certain cancers (bowel and breast)
Osteoporosis (brittle bones)
Anxiety and depression

Research Shows How Exercise is Protective.  Exercise:

Improves blood lipid profile, decreasing blood fats and increasing protective HDL (“good” cholesterol)
Relaxes arteries, improving resting blood pressure
Improves function of platelets and clotting mechanism to prevent unwanted blood clots
Improves body composition
Enhances glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
Improves bone density
Enhances immune system
Improves psychological function
Maintains muscle mass
Increases metabolism

Physical activity helps protect against cancer.  Increased levels of activity are associated with lower risks of cancer, specifically colon cancer and breast cancer.  As stated in the recent Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, the research “strongly suggests that physical activity has a protective effect against the risk of developing colon cancer.” 5

In a recent study of nearly 26,000 women in Norway, researchers found that physically active women (those who did four or more hours of vigorous physical activity weekly) were 37 percent less likely to get breast cancer than sedentary women. 6

6.    Stretching / Strengthening – Stretching exercises and strength-building activities are also important to overall health.  At least two to three times per week, spend some time building strength and improving flexibility.  Choose eight to 10 exercises that strengthen the major muscle groups of the body:  arms, shoulders, back, legs, abdomen.  Examples can include weight lifting, push-ups, curl-ups, and other calisthenics.  These activities help keep muscles firm and improve your figure or physique while helping prevent injury and backaches.

7.    Fit for Life – Look for ways to make physical activity fun, regular, and enjoyable.  Get your partner, family, and friends involved.  Try a variety of activities.  Look for facilities close by that you can use after dark or when the weather is bad.  Set goals and keep a record of your progress.  Keeping active throughout your lifetime will help you stay healthy, live longer, and improve the quality of your life.


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References:
Physical Activity and Public Health, JAMA, Feb. 1, 1995
Moderate physical activity is defined as activities requiring an intensity of 12 – 13 on the Borg scale (fairly easy to somewhat hard) and a heart rate of 50-69% of maximum heart rate or 40-59% of heart rate reserve.
Physical Fitness and All-Cause Mortality, JAMA, Nov. 3, 1989
Fitness and Cardiovascular Disease, JAMA, July 17, 1996
Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Inger Thune, Univ. of Tromso, Norway, 1997