Healthy Tips for Exercise

Do You Want to Feel Good and Improve your Health?

Everyone wants to feel good and stay healthy. You have probably heard time and time again, that the best way to feel good is to exercise and eat healthy. In this issue, you will find very useful tips on exercise and diet, so let’s first start by learning about why exercise is so important.

When you get the right amount of exercise you stay healthy and you can also lower your chances of:

Type 2 diabetes

Heart disease

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Breast cancer

Colon cancer

Exercise can also

Make your bones and muscles stronger, and this also helps reduce your chances of falling down or breaking your bones.

Help you feel less pain and do things every day, like getting up from bed, cleaning, and working, especially if you are a person with arthritis.

Help you feel better by improving your mind and your mood.
Help you think and learn better as you get older.
Help you feel less depressed and sleep better.

Help you keep a good, healthy weight over time.

Increase your chances of living longer.

So, can you see all the reasons why you should exercise? Don’t worry if you have not been very active, it's never too late to start! But remember, always talk with your doctor first about exercise and what will work best for you.

So... What Exercises Should I Do?

Here are the type and amount of exercises you should be doing for the good of your health.

Aerobic Activities

These activities are the ones that make you breathe harder and your heart beat faster. They are important because they make your heart and lungs get stronger. As your heart gets stronger, you will be able to do things for a longer period of time without getting tired as quickly and your general health will also get better.

You can do aerobic activities with two types of intensity: moderate or intense.

An aerobic activity is moderate when you are working hard enough to raise the beat of your heart and to start sweating. When you are doing a moderate activity, you can talk a little, but you can't sing.

An aerobic activity is intense when it makes you breathe harder and faster, and your heart beat goes up quite a bit. When you are doing intense activities, you cannot speak or sing. You can only say a few words without stopping to catch your breath.

Moderate Aerobic Activities

Walking fast
Doing water aerobics
Pushing a lawn mower
Riding a bike on flat ground

Intense Aerobic Activities

Jogging or running
Riding a bike fast or up hills
Swimming fast
Playing basketball
Digging or shoveling

Muscle-Strengthening Activities

To get good health benefits, you also need to do strengthening activities. Strengthening activities are the ones that make your muscles strong. People who lift weights, work with elastic bands, or use a big ball to do stomach exercises are doing strengthening activities.

Strengthening activities are important because they will help you to keep your bones healthy, improve your balance, and help you be able to move better. Also, these exercises can help reduce the signs and symptoms of many diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, etc.

When doing these types of exercise, it is important that you work all your muscles, like your legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms

How much exercise do I need to do to get IMPORTANT health benefits?

Here are 3 different options for you:

Option 1:

2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity a week

Option 2:

1 hour 15 minutes of intense aerobic activity a week

Option 3:

2.5 hours of a mix of moderate and intense aerobic activities a week

Plus:

1 or 2 days of strengthening activities a week

It may sound like doing exercise on a regular basis is a lot of work, but you can take your time and start off slow. Remember, you will feel better and your body will thank you later.

One Step at a Time

Sometimes when you add a new routine into your life it can take time. So here are some steps to motivate you to start your exercise routine. Trust yourself and remember you can do it!

The First Step: Is something keeping you from exercising?

Think about the reasons why you do not feel like exercising. Is it time or money? Is it because you do not feel motivated? See what Teresa and Maria have to say. There is always a solution!

Second Step: Once you have made your decision…

Pick an activity that you love and that is easy to fit into your daily life.
Choose an appropriate aerobic activity for you. Think about the level of strength that you have when choosing one. For example, if you like to run but you haven’t done it in a long time, then start off by walking.
Exercise a little more each time.
When you feel stronger, you can mix some moderate activities with intense activities. For example, if you feel very comfortable walking 45 minutes a day, you can now walk for 30 minutes and lift weights for the remaining 15 minutes.
You should always use the right equipment to stay safe while you exercise. For example, do not forget to wear your helmet if you want to ride a bike.
Choose a safe place to exercise whether you are at home or outdoors.
If you have arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, or a heart problem, talk with your doctor before you start an exercise plan. Your doctor can help you pick the best exercise for you and your health condition.

Remember, exercise can be fun and is healthy for you. Follow the steps above and find a friend or family member who will join you in adding exercise to your daily routine. This will help you stick to your exercise plan.

Teresa’s Story

I always thought that if I wanted to exercise, I would have to spend a lot of money by going to the gym. I know now that I do not have to join a gym to stay active. I can play and run around outside with my kids or walk with my dog for at least 30 minutes every day.

Maria’s story

I never liked exercise. Jumping up and down was not my favorite thing. That was too much for me. So I decided to start exercising little by little, like walking 10 minutes a day, 2-3 times a week. I did this for a few weeks until I felt stronger. Then, I added more time and days every week. Now I walk 30 minutes every day. Soon I will be able to add strengthening exercises like lifting small weights to make my arms stronger. Now, I am having fun and I know you can have fun too!

One Last Thing to Remember:
Let’s Eat Healthy!

OK. So far so good! You just learned why it is so important to get active. Now let’s learn some quick tips to eat healthy. A good plan includes exercising and eating healthy. When you exercise and eat healthy, you are on your way to have a healthy and well balanced life.

1. Make a healthy plate

Half of your plate should be made up of colorful fruits and vegetables like oranges, mangos, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.
You should also eat whole grains. For example, choose 100% whole grain cereal, breads, crackers, rice, tortillas, and pasta. You should also eat grains like beans and lentils.
Don’t forget to eat protein. Eat small portions of lean meat like chicken or fish. A small portion of meat should be like the size of the palm of your hand. You can also eat beans.

2. Cut back on food high in solid fats, sugars, and salt

When making your food, stay away from using solid fats. This means beef, pork, or chicken fat, butter, cream, shortening, and sticks of margarine. Instead, use canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil.
Try to buy lean meats or chicken. Pick milk, yogurt, and cheese low in fats or fat-free. This way you get the calcium you need with less fat and calories.
Choose water over sodas. Think about this…. In a can of soda that is 12 ounces, there are 10 packets of sugar. Yes… that is a lot of sugar!
Pick 100% fruit juice instead of drinks flavored with fruit.
Use spices or herbs to season your food without adding salt.

3. Eat the right amount of calories

Cook more at home so you have more control over what is on your plate.
When you are eating something that may not be healthy, ask yourself the following question: Is it worth the calories?
Read the food labels to help you understand the number of calories in the food you eat
Stay away from big portions.
Use a small plate, bowl, and glass.
Eat only until you feel satisfied. Don’t keep eating until you feel full.
When eating out, choose dishes that have vegetables and fruits or whole grains.
If the plate you ordered at the restaurant is too big, then share half of it with someone else or ask for a “to go” box, so you can save half of your food for another meal.
If you drink alcohol, do it with moderation. A woman should only have 1 drink a day and two drinks a day if you are a man.

If you want to learn more about what to eat and how much you need to eat based on your age and physical activity, go to: choosemyplate.gov
It is a great resource for you!