| Physical activity is essential for general good health. It | | | | your personality. There are plenty of options; if you |
| reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, | | | | try something and don't like it, try something else. If |
| diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, obesity | | | | you try something for a few weeks and it gets |
| and certain types of cancer. It is also beneficial for | | | | boring, try something else. If you find something you |
| psychological health.We hear this all the time, via the | | | | enjoy doing, bingo! You'll be more likely to stick at |
| media, our doctors, even friends and relatives, yet so | | | | it.Incidental exerciseThere are plenty of everyday |
| many of us still seem to find it hard to dig up the | | | | activities that are not necessarily perceived as |
| enthusiasm to do any exercise at all.How much | | | | exercise, yet they are still of moderate physical |
| exercise should you be doing?The Chief Medical | | | | intensity. Things you do regularly, or even every day, |
| Officer recommends adults do at least 30 minutes of | | | | such as walking, gardening, housework, decorating, |
| moderate intensity physical activity, on five days of | | | | washing the car and climbing stairs are all types of |
| the week. Every week. Unfortunately this news is | | | | incidental exercise. Exercise happens as a result of |
| often greeted by moans and groans the length and | | | | doing these things, rather than being the sole reason |
| breadth of the country along with the synchronised | | | | for doing them.If you really can't bring yourself to |
| whistling of kettles, rather than people jumping up | | | | exercise for the sake of it, incorporating more |
| out of their armchairs and getting their running shoes | | | | incidental exercise into your daily routine is a good |
| on.In fact, the Health Survey for England shows that | | | | idea. An hour of vigorous housework will help get |
| just 35 percent of men and 24 percent of women | | | | your house clean and give you a work out. Always |
| met the physical activity targets in 2003.Moderate | | | | use stairs instead of the escalator or lift. Walk instead |
| intensity physical activity means at a level where you | | | | of taking the car. You get the general idea.Break it |
| experience an increase in heart rate and your | | | | upThere is more good news. You don't have to meet |
| breathing becomes faster, which is somewhere | | | | your daily target for physical activity all in one go. It |
| between 50 and 75 percent of your maximum heart | | | | can be intermittent.Breaking up exercise sessions into |
| rate. This is known as the 'target heart rate zone' | | | | smaller chunks of 10 to 15 minutes can have |
| (see note below to work this out).You should feel | | | | significant health benefits, as long they accumulate to |
| warm, possibly breaking out in a sweat depending on | | | | at least 30 minutes per day. This is an excellent way |
| the temperature and your level of fitness, but you | | | | to ease yourself in gently if you have been a couch |
| should be able to keep it up for many minutes | | | | potato all your life or lack of time is an issue.Ten |
| without becoming fatigued and still be able to hold a | | | | minutes here, 15 minutes there, it all adds up. You |
| conversation. Good examples of moderate intensity | | | | don't have to launch yourself into an intense one hour |
| activities include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, | | | | a day aerobic and strength-training regime. The total |
| gardening, housework and even mowing the lawn.Get | | | | time you spend being physically active each day is |
| motivatedSo how can you motivate yourself to | | | | more important than the actual length of each |
| make a commitment to regular exercise for the rest | | | | exercise session.Do it for youLike all our |
| of your life, without perceiving it as a chore?Think | | | | achievements in life, it's great if we can get family |
| about the advantages of being physically active. | | | | and friends to support our efforts. However, making |
| Aside from greatly reducing your risk of certain | | | | a commitment to exercise requires self-motivation; |
| chronic diseases there are other more obvious | | | | you can't rely on someone else to do it for you.If |
| benefits that will quickly become apparent.You will | | | | you can find someone to 'get fit with' it can be very |
| notice both psychological and physical changes, such | | | | encouraging, but you never know when he or she will |
| as improved mood and self-esteem, reduced anxiety, | | | | become unavailable and you will be left on your |
| improved muscle strength, tone and flexibility and | | | | own.The key to long-term physical fitness is to |
| you will have more energy. Let's not forget the fact | | | | embrace exercise as a significant aspect of your life, |
| that exercise aids weight loss.Your overall physical | | | | rather than something that you just fit in as a matter |
| condition will improve as your heart and lungs | | | | of necessity. Think of it as something you enjoy, not |
| become more efficient -- you will be able to climb | | | | something you have to put up with, and you won't |
| stairs without gasping for breath. If you can be | | | | go far wrong.How to work out your target heart |
| bothered to make the effort to become more | | | | rate zone:Depending on which source you consult, |
| active, it will give you so much more in | | | | the upper and lower limits for target heart rate vary. |
| return.Structured exerciseMany people enjoy and are | | | | According to the American College of Sports Medicine |
| able to stick to a structured fitness program at a | | | | the target heart rate zone is 50 to 75 percent of |
| gym or health club; however, it's not for everyone. | | | | your maximum heart rate.To estimate your maximum |
| Drop out rates from such programs are high, with | | | | heart rate, take your age from 220.For example, a |
| about half the people who join them quitting within a | | | | 30-year-old person's maximum heart rate would be |
| year of doing so.Most of us know someone with a | | | | 190 beats per minute (bpm): 220 - 30 years = 190 |
| gym membership who hardly ever goes. Structured | | | | bpm.The upper and lower limits while exercising would |
| fitness programs can be hard to fit in to a busy | | | | be:95 bpm: 190 x 0.50 = 95 (lower limit at 50%)143 |
| routine and health club memberships can be | | | | bpm: 190 x 0.75 = 143 (upper limit at 75%)So for |
| expensive. If you sign up and don't go you will just | | | | someone aged 30 their heart rate should be |
| end up feeling even worse than before you | | | | somewhere between 95 and 143 beats per minute |
| started!Find something you enjoy doingContrary to | | | | when they are performing physical exercise of |
| popular belief, exercise does not have to involve | | | | moderate intensity.How to work out if your heart |
| trekking to the gym, and it does not have to be | | | | rate is within your target heart rate zone:Take your |
| boring. There is an abundance of activities to choose | | | | pulse at the wrist or neck by counting the number of |
| from, in a variety of different settings.To name a | | | | beats for 15 seconds and multiplying by four. This will |
| few: running, walking, hiking, bicycling, aerobics, | | | | give you the number of beats per minute. Or use a |
| bowling, lifting weights, golf, tennis, table tennis, | | | | heart rate monitor if you find this difficult. The |
| badminton, swimming, dancing, ice skating, roller | | | | number of beats per minute should be within your |
| skating, karate, boxing, rowing, football, netball, | | | | target heart rate zone. If this number is too high, you |
| hockey, skiing, rock climbing.These activities can be | | | | are working too hard. If it is too low you need to |
| done recreationally or competitively, and some may | | | | step up the intensity.It may help you to start by |
| even be done in the comfort of your own home, | | | | aiming for the 50 percent level of your target heart |
| depending on your personal preference.Not everyone | | | | rate zone and building up the intensity gradually. Stop |
| enjoys the same activities. Just because your | | | | if you feel uncomfortable. Remember, whatever level |
| neighbour goes to the gym every night after work | | | | you are at every little bit counts!If you are very |
| come rain or shine doesn't mean you should follow | | | | overweight, or in any doubt about your health |
| suit. If you feel uncomfortable working out with | | | | consult your doctor.Sharon Kirby is a freelance writer |
| complete strangers, this probably isn't the right thing | | | | from West Sussex, England and specialises in writing |
| for you.Take the time to find something that fits | | | | about fitness and health. |