Do we get enough exercise from our daily activities?
Most Indians get little vigorous exercise at work or during leisure hours. Today, only a few jobs require vigorous physical activity. People usually ride in cars or buses and watch TV during their free time rather than be physically active. Activities like golfing and bowling provide people with some benefit. But they do not provide the same benefits as regular, more vigorous exercise. Evidence suggests that even low- to moderate-intensity activities can have both short- and long-term benefits. If done daily, they help lower your risk of heart disease. Such activities include pleasure walking, stair climbing, gardening, yardwork, moderate to heavy housework, dancing and home exercise. More vigorous exercise can help improve fitness of the heart and lungs, which can provide even more consistent benefits for lowering heart disease risk. Today, many people are rediscovering the benefits of regular, vigorous exercise -activities like swimming, brisk walking, running, or jumping rope. These kinds of activities are sometimes called "aerobic" -meaning the body uses oxygen to produce the energy needed for the activity. Aerobic exercises can condition your heart and lungs if performed at the proper intensity for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week.

But you don't have to train like a marathon runner to become more physically fit! Any activity that gets you moving around, even if it's done for just a few minutes each day, is better than none at all. For inactive people, the trick is to get started. One great way is to take a walk for 10-15 minutes during your lunch break. Other ideas in this website will help you get moving and living a more active life.





What are the benefits of regular physical activity?
These are the benefits often experienced by people who get regular physical activity.

Feeling better
      Regular physical activity ­

• gives you more energy
• helps in coping with stress
• improves your self-image
• increases resistance to fatigue
• helps counter anxiety and depression
• helps you to relax and feel less tense
• improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well
• provides an easy way to share an activity with friends or family and an opportunity to meet new friends

Looking better
      Regular physical activity­

• tones your muscles
• burns off calories to help lose extra pounds or helps you stay at your desirable weight
• helps control your appetite

You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. If you want to lose weight, regular physical activity can help you in either of two ways.

First, you can eat your usual amount of calories, but be more active. For example: A 200-pound person who keeps on eating the same amount of calories, but decides to walk briskly each day for 11/2 miles will lose about 14 pounds in 1 year. Or second, you can eat fewer calories and be more active. This is an even better way to lose weight.

About three-fourths of the energy you burn every day comes from what your body uses for its basic needs, such as sleeping, breathing, digesting food and reclining. A person burns up only a small amount of calories with daily activities such as sitting. Any physical activity in addition to what you normally do will burn up extra calories.

The average calories spent per hour by a 150-pound person are listed below. (A lighter person bums fewer calories; a heavier person burns more.) Since exact calorie figures are not available for most activities, the figures below are averaged from several sources and show the relative vigor of the activities.

Working better
      Regular physical activity ­

• helps you to be more productive at work
• increases your capacity for physical work
• builds stamina for other physical activities
• increases muscle strength
• helps your heart and lungs work more efficiently

Consider the benefits of a well-conditioned heart:
In 1 minute with 45 to 50 beats, the heart of a well-conditioned person pumps the same amount of blood as an inactive person's heart pumps in 70 to 75 beats. Compared to the well-conditioned heart, the average heart pumps up to 36,000 more times per day, 13 million more times per year.

Feeling, looking, and working better - all these benefits from regular physical activity can help you enjoy your life more fully.

What if I've had a heart attack?
Regular, brisk physical activity can help reduce your risk of having another heart attack. People who include reglalar physical activity in their lives after a heart attack improve their chances of survival. Regular exercise can also improve the quality of your life- how you feel and look. It can help you do more than before without pain (angina) or shortness of breath.

If you've had a heart attack, consult your doctor to be sure you are following a safe and effective exercise program. Your doctor's guidance is very important because it could help prevent heart pain and/or further damage from overexertion.




How do different activities help my heart and lungs?
Some types of activity will improve the condition of your heart and lungs if they are brisk, sustained and regular. Low-intensity activities do not condition the heart and lungs much. But they can have other long-term health benefits.

The columns below describe three types of activities and how they affect your heart.

Column A -These vigorous exercises are especially helpful when done regularly. To condition your heart and lungs, the AHA recom­mends that you do them for at least 30 minutes, three or four times a week, at more than 50 percent of your exercise capacity. Other health experts suggest a shorter period for higher-intensity activities. These exercises can also burn up more calories than those that are not so vigorous.

Column B -These activities are moderately vigorous but still excellent choices. When done briskly for 30 minutes or longer, three or four times a week, they can also condition your heart and lungs.

Column C -These activities are not vigorous or sustained. They still have benefits -they can be enjoyable, improve coordination and muscle tone, relieve tension, and also help burn up some calories. These and other low-intensity activities -like gardening, yard­work, housework, dancing and home exercise -can help lower your risk of heart disease if done daily.

The key to success

How do I begin?
The key to a successful program is choosing an activity (or activities) that you will enjoy. Even moderate levels of activity have important health benefits. Here are some questions that can help you choose the right kind of activity for you:

1. How physically fit are you?
   If you've been inactive for a while, you may want to start with walking or swimming at a comfortable pace. Beginning with less strenuous activities will allow you to become more fit without straining your body. Once you are in better shape, you can gradually change to a more vigorous activity if you wish.
2. How old are you?
   If you are over 40 and have not been active, avoid very strenuous programs such as jogging when you're first starting out. For the first few months, build up the length and intensity of your activity gradu­ally. Walking and swimming are especially good forms of exercise ,for all ages.
3. Do you like to exercise alone or with other people?
   Do you like individual activities such as swimming, team sports such as soccer, or two-person activities such as racquetball? How about an aerobics class or ballroom dancing? Companionship can help you get started and keep going. If you would like to exercise with someone else, can you find a partner easily and quickly? If not, choose another activity until you can find a partner.
4. Do you prefer to exercise outdoors or in your home?
   Outdoor activities offer variety in scenery and weather. Indoor activities offer shelter from the weather and can offer the con­venience of exercising at home as with stationary cycling. Some activities such as bench stepping. running in place or jumping rope can be done indoors or outdoors. If your activity can be seriously affected by weather, consider choosing a second, alternate activity. Then you can switch activities and still stayon your regular schedule.
5. How much money are you willing to spend for sports equipment or facilities?
   Many activities require little or no equipment. For example, brisk walking only requires a comfortable pair of walking shoes. Also, many communities offer free or inexpensive recreation facilities and physical activity classes.
6. When can you best fit the activity into your schedule?
   Do you feel more like being active in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Consider moving other activities around. Schedule your activity as a regular part of your routine. Remember that exercise sessions are spread out over the week and needn't take more than about 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
   By choosing activities you like, you will be more likely to keep doing them regularly and enjoying the many benefits of physical activity.

How can I become more active throughout my day?
(To become more physically active throughout your day, take advantage of any opportunity to get up and move around. Here are some examples:

• Use the stairs -up and down -instead of the elevator. Start with one flight of stairs and gradually build up to more.
• Park a few blocks from the office or store and walk the rest of the way. Or if you ride on public transportation, get off a stop or two before and walk a few blocks.
• Take an activity break -get up and stretch, walk around and give your muscles and mind a chance to relax.
• Instead of eating that extra snack, take a brisk stroll around the neighborhood.
• Do housework, such as vacuuming, at a more brisk pace.
• Carry your own groceries.
• Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.

If you have a family, encourage them to take part in an exercise program and recreational activities they can either share with you or do on their own. It is best to build healthy habits when children are young. When parents are active, children are more likely to be active and stay active after they become adults.

Whatever your age, moderate physical activity can become a good health habit with lifelong benefits).