Get in Shape Stay in ShapeFitting in Fitness in Today’s Busy World

• Lowers blood pressure; improves cholesterol levels

• Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers

• Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints

• Helps burn calories to shed extra pounds and maintain healthy weight

• Helps reduce body fat

© 2013 Oakstone Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Not intended for professional care. Personal Best® ... A Learning Solution powered by Oakstone®. Phys Ed advisor review: 10.2012

Daily stretching helps with flexibility and balance. Never stretch cold muscles — take a brisk 5- to 10-minute walk and then stretch. After your workout, stretch again.

Daily Stretching

You may think fitness refers to being muscle-bound and super-thin, but the real meaning is much more realistic — and achievable. To be fit simply means that you’re able to do the things your life demands, at work and at play, with energy

and without feeling worn out. The key to being fit is staying physically active.

BHW

243E

1

What Is Fitness?

Benefits of physical activity:

Physical Activity

Fitting in Fitness

Boost Your MetabolismFitness Tips and Tricks

© 2013 Personal Best® All rights reserved. Not intended as a substitute for professional care.

BHW

243E

1

What is moderate-intensity exercise? Your heart rate is increased above your resting level, but you can still talk and breathe comfortably. Examples: fast walking, water aerobics, bike riding on level ground.

What is vigorous-intensity exercise? You breathe harder and are able to speak only in short phrases — you aren’t able to hum or whistle a song. Examples: jogging, running, lap swimming.

Note: Always get your provider’s OK before significantly changing your exercise routine.

Get in Shape Stay in Shape

➻ 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms). Note: You can break up your exercise into 10- or 15-minute segments throughout the day.

1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.

An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.

Physical Activity: How Much Do You Need?Fitting in Fitness in Today’s Busy World

➻ Work out with a friend. It’s harder to break a promise to someone else, so you’re more likely to stick to a common schedule and shared goals.

OR

OR

© 2013 Oakstone Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Not intended for professional care.

BHW

243E

1

Get in Shape Stay in ShapeFitting in Fitness in Today’s Busy World

Fitting in FitnessMarathon sessions aren’t required to help you become physically active. Several 10-minute sessions daily can boost your health and fitness, too! Your goal is to keep moving wherever you are. Tips:

Carry one bag at a time into the house when unloading groceries from your car.

Take the stairs to the second floor or the basement as often as possible. Climb the stairs

2 at a time or a bit faster than usual. Bike your shortest

driving route (to the video store, for example) each day. Chop food or mix dough by hand

instead of using a food processor.

FITNESS AT HOME

FITNESS AT WORK Get UP and move around at least once

every hour. Ideas: Walk to deliver an important message, or take a lap around the building to clear your head. Get ON the treadmill at a nearby

gym before or after work.

Benefits of Physical Activity

• Lowers blood pressure; improves cholesterol levels • Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers• Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints • Helps burn calories to shed extra pounds and maintain healthy weight• Helps reduce body fat

When you You burn this do this: many calories per half-hour:

Mowing or raking the lawn 100Mopping the floor 150Sweeping the driveway 150Walking to the store 150Actual calories burned depends on your weight and intensity.

FITNESS AT PLAY Find freebies. Local tennis courts, ball

fields and basketball leagues are just some of the fitness opportunities available right in your backyard. Go to the dogs. Double the time you

spend at the park, alternately running and resting with your pet. Clown around with kids. Run, jump, play —

great ways to burn calories, increase speed and agility, and feel younger.

Chores That Burn

© 2013 Oakstone Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Not intended for professional care.

BHW

243E

1

u GET INTO AEROBICS. Your metabolic rate rises after a vigorous aerobic workout, which works your heart and your lungs.

v TRY STRENGTH OR WEIGHT TRAINING. The more muscle you build, the faster your metabolic rate, even when you’re sitting still.

w RESIST CRASH DIETS. When you drastically reduce your daily caloric intake, your body actually slows down its metabolism to guard against starvation.

x DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST. People who do have been shown to have slower metabolic rates than regular breakfast eaters.

Get in Shape Stay in ShapeFitting in Fitness in Today’s Busy World

It’s easier than you might think to fit fitness into your day. Get started today!

Want Faster Fitness? Boost Your MetabolismNot only do you burn calories while you exercise, but you also raise your metabolism — your “burn rate,” the process by which your body converts food to energy.

Boosting your metabolism helps you burn more calories more efficiently. Plus, you may find you have more energy overall. To rev up your engine:

Yes. Pushing your body beyond its limits leads to pain and injury. To prevent repetitive motion problems, vary your routine. Run 1 day, strength-train the next and bike the day after that. Remember: Exercise should leave you feeling energized, not bored and exhausted.

The Burning Question

Can you possibly exercise too much?

Fitness Tips and Tricks

➻ Be reasonable. Consider fitness a project that starts small and builds gradually. Set weekly goals to help you stay on track.

➻ To fit fitness in, make a date with your body. Pencil in exercise appointments and keep them, just as you would a mandatory meeting.

➻ Try several 10-minute workouts each day if your schedule doesn’t permit longer sessions. Research suggests that it’s the number of calories burned per week that counts.