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Physical Activity
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What is physical activity and why do you need it in your life?

How do you incorporate it into your life?

What can you do to be more physically active?

How many calories can you burn?

Physical Activity Pyramid

• Physical activity does not need to be strenuous to achieve health benefits.
• Men and women of all ages benefit from a moderate amount of daily physical activity (for example: 30 minutes of brisk walking or 15 minutes of jogging).
• Previously sedentary people who begin physical activity programs should start with short sessions (5-10 minutes) and build up to the desired level of physical activity.

• Physical activity improves quality of life.
• Physical activity extends longevity, protects against the development of CHD, stroke, hypertension, obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, colon cancer, and depression.
• Physical activity helps maintain full functioning and independence among the elderly.
• Relationships between physical activity and improved health include:
• A reduced oxygen demand at any given level of physical activity.
• A reduced tendency for blood to form clots where arteries have narrowed.
• An increased elasticity in the arteries.
• Changes in the brain and brain chemistry that may improve mood and cognitive functioning.

• More than 60% of US adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity.
• Approximately 25% of US adults are not active at all.
• A 1993 study concerning causes of death in the US: #1 Tobacco, #2 Lack of exercise/poor diet, #3 Alcohol.
• Chronic disease costs the US $655 Billion in healthcare costs.
• In this year, 1.5 million people will have a heart attack in the US and 500,000 will die.

• Control your health status through a medical checkup before beginning a program.
• Progress slowly in the exercise program.
• Choose primarily activities which engage as large a muscle mass as possible, ie: jogging, cycling, swimming, cross-country skiing, etc.
• Remember, it is not necessary to be exhausted to achieve improvement in physical fitness.
• The training should be accomplished continuously and intermittently.
• The improvement in physical fitness will depend on your initial fitness level.
• It is never too late to start exercising regularly.

"Exercise Lite"

• "Accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity over the course of most days of the week"
• Incorporating more activity into your daily routine can improve your health status
• Daily activities may include:
• walking stairs (instead of taking the elevator)
• gardening
• raking leaves
• dancing
• mall walking while shopping
• carrying a grocery basket rather than pushing a cart (when applicable)
• parking in the farthest parking spot and walking to the office or store
• carrying or pushing a golf bag instead of taking a cart while golfing
• Alternately, 30 minutes of activity may come from planned exercise or recreation

Check out the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity

Incorporating Physical Activity Into Your Life

Now that you’ve been convinced of how important physical activity is to your health and well being, the next step is incorporating it into your life. Lucky for all of us, becoming more physically active is a cinch! It’s just a matter of incorporating some simple steps into your life. In fact, you probably already are "physically active" and don’t even know it.

If you don’t like to EXERCISE,  don’t worry. Exercise is just one aspect of physical activity. The following are some tips to help you get started:

• Tip 1: Make a list of the reasons why you’d like to incorporate physical activity into your life. Be sure to include health problems that might be improved by physical activity. If you need help, check out the benefits listed in our page or the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity.
• Tip 2: Make a list of any reasons that keep you from participating in physical activity and think of ways to overcome them.
• Tip 3: If you feel that there is ANY health reason why you should not participate in physical activity, check with your doctor before beginning a program.
• Tip 4: See if a friend would like to join you in your quest to become more active. Things are a lot easier and a lot more fun when a friend is involved too!
• Tip 5: Call your local Parks and Recreation Department, YMCA, or community organization to find out if they offer any programs or classes that may interest you. Many community centers and local colleges offer an array of dance classes, exercise classes (yoga, aerobics), cycling clubs, tennis lessons, swimming lessons, basketball, and etc.
• Tip 6: Locate parks, and walking trails in your area. Local malls sometimes have walking clubs as well. It’s a good place to go when the weather is bad.
• Tip 7: Keep an activity journal. In it, list all of the activities you have done each day and how long you did them. A journal will help you track your progress, help you set goals and identify the activities that you like best.

Need Help Figuring Out What Qualifies as Physical Activity?
Check Out These Suggestions.....

There are numerous activities that can be worked into your day that do not involve going to the gym, or an aerobics class. Some alternative ideas are listed below:

• Walk! Do it with a friend, find a local trail, go to the mall and walk around awhile before you shop. Park as far away from your destination as possible and walk. If you live in town, walk to do your errands. Take a walk during your lunch break.  Walk your dog.  It’s easy!!
• Take the stairs. Use the stairs whenever you can. Avoid elevators and escalators. If you work on the 35th floor, don’t panic. Take the elevator to the 30th floor and walk the last five flights.
• Take up a sport. Call your local parks and recreation department and find out about local softball, basketball, and touch football leagues, racket sports, soccer and etc.
• Jump Rope. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and you can do it anywhere (even in a hotel).
• Play Games. Play with your kids. Try these activities...They're fun for the whole family.
• In-Line Skate
• Swim.
• Ride your bike
• Dance! Learn to dance. Take tap, ballet, belly dancing, jazz, and etc. Social dancing is popular again. Take advantage of classes being offered in your community and have a great time while you’re at it.
• Get outside!!  Try some of these outdoor activities...
• Garden! Many people don’t realize it, but gardening is tough work. Get outside and play in the dirt. Get rid of that riding mower and mow the lawn with a hand mower. It’s great exercise.
• Go hiking.
• Go canoeing, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling or surfing.
• Try Horseback riding.
• Wash and wax your car.
• Clean your house.  Vacuuming, mopping, and dusting can be quite a work out.
• Do simple stretching and calisthenics exercises at your desk.
• Do anything that gets you up and moving, and most importantly, HAVE FUN!!!!!

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Physical Activity Pyramid

© Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by Georgia State University (1999)

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Calories Expended During Certain Activities:
 

ACTIVITY*	Calories expended in 30 minutes  Male (175 lbs)	Calories expended in 30 minutes  Female (135 lbs)
Biking 12-13.9 mph (moderate effort)	334	258
Circuit Training	334	258
Stretching, hatha yoga	167	129
Dancing - general	188	145
Dancing - ballet, modern	251	193
House Cleaning - vigorous (mop, wash car)	188	145
House Cleaning - light (dusting, vacuuming)	104	81
Playing w/ kids moderate - walk/run	167	129
Gardening	209	161
Mowing lawn - Hand mower	251	193
Running - 6 mph	418	322
Jogging	292	225
Basketball - Game	334	258
Children's Games	209	161
Football	334	258
Frisbee	125	97
Horseback Riding	167	129
Skating	292	225
Soccer	292	225
Softball/Baseball	209	161
Tennis	292	225
Hiking	251	193
Walking - 4 mph, level surface	167	129
Walking - leisure	146	113
Canoeing/Rowing - moderate	292	225
Kayaking	209	161
Swimming laps freestyle - moderate	334	258

* Data from ACSM Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription Third Edition

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Resources

Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity
American College of Sports Medicine

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Go to The Exercise and Physical Fitness Home Page

The Exercise and Physical Fitness Web Page is an ongoing project by graduate students in the Master of Science program in Exercise Science in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Georgia State University. This project was created by J. Andrew Doyle, PhD, and was last modified on: May 11, 2000. © Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by Georgia State University (1999)