Fitness for Good Health
More than 50 percent of Americans do not get enough physical activity to promote health benefits and 26 percent are completely inactive. Lack of adequate energy output increases the risk of heart attack, colon cancer, diabetes and other serious health conditions. In addition to helping control weight, the benefits of being active are many:
- Help build bones, muscles and joints
- Reduce falls among older persons
- Help relieve arthritis pain
- Alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Increase flexibility and cardiovascular strength
- Reduce the number of hospital and doctor visits and medications
Medical experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day, or at least most days of the week. To prevent gradual unhealthy weight gain in adulthood, experts suggest 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity on a daily basis. The benefits of following these guidelines include increased cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, optimum body composition and increased flexibility.
Physical activity is designated by intensity. The higher the intensity, the less time is required to achieve results. For moderate-intensity, your target heart rate while exercising should be 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. For vigorous exercise, your target heart rate could be 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. (Check with your physician or cardiologist before beginning a vigorous exercise program.)
To calculate target heart rate, subtract your age from 220, which gives your age-predicted maximum heart rate (APMHR). Take the APMHR and multiply by the desired percentage: 50 percent for the low end of moderate intensity, 70 percent for the high end of moderate intensity and 85 percent for the top end of high intensity. To determine whether you are reaching your target heart rate, take your pulse for six seconds and multiple the number of beats times 10 to get heartbeats per minute. An exercise heart rate monitor (available at sporting goods stores) allows you to measure your heart rate without interrupting your exercise.
Activity is best performed in continuous sessions of 30 to 60 minutes, but getting any exercise is better than none at all. For the beginner, it's a good idea to start out slow and build intensity levels over time. Some guidelines: 
Light intensity (burns less than 3.5 calories per minute)
- Walking slowly
- Gardening
- Leisurely bicycling
- Housework
- Light stretching
- Brisk walking (one mile in 15 minutes)
- Swimming
- Tennis (doubles)
- Golfing while carrying clubs
- Washing windows
- Working with free weights
- Running, jogging
- Swimming laps
- Basketball
- Circuit training
- Climbing
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