Physical Activity: - What is in it for you?
Regular physical activity is vital for improving quality of life and can go along way towards prolonging life – or in other words, protecting us life-threatening health risks such as:
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coronary heart disease (CHD)
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colon cancer
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strokes
Research suggests taking the recommended levels of 5 x 30 minute sessions of moderate exercise for adults and 5 x 60 minute sessions for children can have a positive impact on health. Achieving the recommended levels does not have to be prescriptive, what suits one person may not sit another, and we suggest that by adopting a broad ranging definition of physical including:
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sport and exercise
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dance
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active play
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and 'everyday' activities such as walking, gardening and cycling etc.
Indeed, there is strong evidence that real and sustainable gains in physical activity levels will only be achieved by encouraging people to build physical activity into their daily schedules, through walking to school and work, taking the stairs rather than the lift, through active play within the family and so on.
In other words, make it fun and not a chore!
(It is worth noting that the recommended levels of physical activity are moderate exercise, which equates to the heart rate increasing, breaking into a slight sweat, but still being able to still hold a conversation whilst exercising)