The side effects of regular physical activity:

• Greater sense of wellbeing and positive self-esteem
• Improved ability to respond to stress
• Easier to maintain proper body weight
• Improved strength and flexibility
• Increased energy
• Improved balance
• Improved sleep
• Helps to prevent falls and fractures

If you have a chronic health challenge or are generally inactive, be sure to talk to your doctor or health care professional before starting any exercise program.

How much physical activity does a person need?  To maintain good health we should all accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the day, on five or more days of the week. It is important to keep in mind that this should be considered a goal to work towards and not something that needs happen today.

What is considered moderate physical activity?   Moderate physical activity can be almost any activity that makes you feel the way you do when you walk briskly for 30 minutes. These include:

• Dancing
• Riding a bike
• Gardening
• Vacuuming
• Swimming
• Hiking / walking
• Wheeling oneself in a wheelchair
• Sitting in a chair and doing leg-lifts and arm-lifts
• Skipping rope or jumping on a one-person trampoline

These activities can be done 10 minutes at a time over the course of the day, instead of 30 minutes at one time.

What if you’re not physically active now?  Even small increases in light to moderate activity will improve your overall functioning if you’re not currently active (as the old adage, “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it”, applies to our bodies in spades!). It is important to start slowly and check with your doctor or health care professional before getting started.  If you are inactive or have a chronic health challenge, try starting with 5 minutes a day and then gradually increase your activity level. It is important also to find something you enjoy doing – this will go a long way to helping you stick with it and reach your physical activity goal!