Tried and True Standard: You can achieve a satisfactory level of fitness with 30 minutes or more of physical activity, most days of the week, performed at a pace that increases your heart and breathing rates.
START SLOW if you haven't done much before. There's always a risk of injury or overexertion if you haven't been very active; so be sure to get clearance from your doctor before you start. Also, once you start your fitness activity, keep the time period short and the intensity low until your body adjusts to the change and then, methodically, increase the time and intensity until you get to where you want to be.
SET A GOAL. Losing weight, becoming fit and trim, getting all that extra energy, and avoiding future health problems are all benefits - not goals. Your goal should be to find a way to get vigorous physical activity into your weekly routine. This kind of goal is more practical and achievable. Once you get there the benefits will follow.
FIND AN ACTIVITY that is tolerable, if not fun; one that fits your lifestyle and is easy to do. This is important because fitness has a short shelf life. It fades fast if you don't keep it up, so you need to find something that you can do all the time, for a lifetime.
BUILD A SUPPORT GROUP. Try pulling your friends and family into your workout routine. You may be surprised at how those who first scoff at the idea quickly change their minds when they see you doing it.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE. Don't get discouraged if you start a workout routine and you have a few slip-ups or miss a couple of sessions. Remember, you're trying to build a whole new habit and that takes practice and occasional failures. Just keep trying until you find what works. The more you practice, the easier it gets --- the easier it gets, the less you have to practice!
Myth No. 1. - "It Should Be Fun"
Expecting exercise or physical activity to be fun is expecting too much. Sports were designed to be fun but the purpose of physical activity is to improve your health profile and self-image, not necessarily to be fun. There's nothing wrong with finding something fun to do as a physical activity, but all it really needs to be is tolerable. People don't stop brushing their teeth because there's no fun in it; they just get it done and move on. It should be the same for your fitness activity.
Myth No. 2. - "Taper Off Your Physical Activity As You Get Older"
There's no evidence that the human body is any less capable of the same level of physical activity at age 65 than it was at age 25; especially if that level was maintained for the 40 years in between. Bones and muscle age more from lack of use, than lack of youth!
Contact Us:
Department of Health
109 Governor St. Richmond, VA 23219
Physical Activity Coordinator, DCDP&C, VDH
