Steps to Get You Moving
The American Heart Association wants us to get moving and we here at Shape Well want to help. Lets go for a walk.
As simple as a daily walk will help with getting you started on a healthier path. Only 30 minutes a day will reduce your risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that for every hour we walk we could prolong our life expectancy by two hours. Now isn’t that worth getting up and taking a stroll after dinner?
It’s Easy
- Walking is the simplest way to start and continue a fitness journey.
- Walking costs nothing to get started.
- Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any type of exercise.
- Walking is easy and safe.
It Works
- Studies show that for every hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by two hours.
- Walking for as few as 30 minutes a day provides heart health benefits.
- Walking is the single most effective form of exercise to achieve heart health.
It Pays
- Physically active people save $500 a year in healthcare costs.
- Employers can save $16 for every $1 they spend on health and wellness.
- Fitness programs have reduced employer healthcare costs by 20 – 55%.
- Reducing just one health risk in the workplace increases productivity by 9%.
- Reducing one health risk decreases absenteeism by 2%.
And walking isn’t your only option. Try these tips for increasing physical activity wherever you are. You may be surprised at all your opportunities to increase your physical activity every day.
- Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.
- Work in the garden or mow the grass. Using a riding mower doesn’t count! Rake leaves, prune, dig and pick up trash.
- Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both! Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.
- Walk or bike to the corner store instead of driving.
- When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk. Choose a hilly route. When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Or stretch. Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw away your video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.
- Stand up while talking on the telephone.
- Walk the dog.
- Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance. Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.
- Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor level.
- Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it! It isn’t meant to hang laundry on.
These are just a few of the tips that the American Heart Association wants us to try to help us stay healthy and live longer.