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AARP AARP States Health & Wellbeing

Add a Little Exercise To Your Day!

Exercise helps your entire body – from physical well-being to state of mind.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

  • Start slowly - don't overdo it.
    Check out the workshop to learn more information!
  • Gradually increase the intensity of your workout.
  • Wear the right shoes for comfort and support.
  • Wear a step counter throughout the day. It's rewarding to see those steps increase on your step counter over time.
  • Don't quit- make exercise part of your daily life.

About 44% of adults get some exercise, but they do not do it regularly or intensely enough to protect or benefit their heart.

Add Exercise at Work

  • Add mini activity breaks with office exercises.
  • Walk around on your lunch hour or when brain-storming.
  • Stand up while talking on the phone. You burn more calories standing up.
  • Take the stairs - It’s a way to get your heart pumping.

According to the National Institutes of Health, a well-conditioned heart pumps 36,000 fewer times per day then an average heart – this equals 13 million fewer beats per year.

Add Exercise in Your Home & Life

  • Do yard work – Gardening, mowing, raking – these all provide small amounts of activity.
  • Make yourself at home – Home exercise can be very beneficial. Exercise videos and equipment such as a stationary bike can provide a work out for the whole family. Plus, you can exercise while watching television.
  • Listen to music – This can help keep you entertained while you’re working out.
  • Workout with a friend – They’ll hold you accountable, help keep you motivated, and even make working out more fun.
  • Add variety – Walk one day and ride your bike the next – you won’t get bored as easily if you mix up your exercise routines.
  • Get creative – If you don’t have a membership to a fitness center, you can always do stretching, push-ups or sit-ups at home or while you travel. You don’t need expensive equipment to get in shape.
  • Hit the trails – Go on a bike ride – it’s a good way to enjoy nature and at the same time burn calories. You may even be able to ride your bike to work.
  • Make your car work for you - Park at the outer edges of store parking lots.

It is never too late to start!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that even when initiated later in life, exercise provides important health benefits.

Remember to check with your physician before beginning or increasing your physical activity.

Additional Resources

  • AARP Fitness: Your destination to live a healthier active life.
  • Medline Plus: Exercise/Physical Fitness US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
  • Physical Activity & Healthy Lifestyles: Physical activity is vital to good health and disease prevention. This information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

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