– Physical Activity
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
You do “Physical Activity” whenever you move your body! For health benefits, you should do at least 30 minutes a day of moderate or vigorous physical activity. Choose activities that you enjoy and can do regularly.
Examples of Moderate Physical Activity:
- walking (briskly), hiking, dancing, golfing, bicycling, weight training (light workout), gardening
Examples of Vigorous Physical Activity:
- walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour), running/jogging, bicycling, (more than 10 miles per hour), swimming, aerobics, weight lifting, basketball, chopping wood
Health Benefits
By being physically active you gain many health benefits. You become more relaxed and happier with an overall feeling of well-being. Physical activity lowers your risks for developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes. Your blood pressure will also improve by being physical active.
Physical activity can build and maintain bones, muscles and joints. It enhances flexibility and posture. You will also gain a healthy body weight. Being physical active increases the amount of calories burned. Our metabolism slows with age, therefore it’s important to move more and eat less as we get older.
Aerobic activities for Heart and Lung
Brisk walking, jogging and swimming are examples of activities that improve your heart and lung fitness are.
Strength building activities for Bones and Muscles
Walking, carrying a child, lifting weights are examples of activities that improve, build and maintain your bones and muscles by working them against gravity.
Balance and stretching activities for Flexibility
Dancing, yoga, tai chi, martial arts and gentle stretching are examples of activities that enhances your flexibility and stability. These activities also reduce the risk of injuries.
MyPyramid Recommendations
MyPyramid recommends that an adult should do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days or preferably every day, in addition to your usual daily activities. If you do more physical activity than that, you will gain additional health benefits and an increase control of your body weight. To prevent weight gain you might need 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity and calorie needs should not be exceeded. You can do your physical activity all at once or divide it into two or three parts during the day.
MyPyramid recommends that a child or teenager should do at least 60-90 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day or most days.
MyPyramid Print Materials
- What is physical activity?
- Why is it important?
- How much is needed?
- How many calories are used?
- Tips for increasing physical activity
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Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, MyPyramid