Make a healthy promise to yourself to get more exercise
Despite overwhelming evidence that exercise is one factor which helps reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, more than half of all Americans are still physically inactive.1 Fortunately, fitness comes in many forms. Use this guide to discover some new activities that suit your abilities and interests, and get moving. Including exercise into your daily routine can help you gain energy and strengthen your muscles, including your heart – the most important muscle of all.
Exercise can be effortless when you make it part of your daily routine
Who said you have to “work out” to stay in shape? No matter what your lifestyle, incorporating fitness into your daily life is easier and more natural than you think. Here are a few suggestions that can help you fit fitness into your daily routine.
Three Things You Can Do at Work
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
- Keep a pair of running shoes at your desk and turn lunchtime errands into a power walk.
- Park your car a little further away from work so you can get in a walk.
Three Things You Can Do at Home
- Put an exercise machine like a stationary bicycle, a treadmill or a step climber in front of the television, and work out while you watch.
- Do 10 squats or stretch while you’re on the phone.
- Stretch in bed before you rise each morning or before you go to sleep at night.
Three Things You Can Do at Play
- Rediscover your neighborhood by taking walks and bike rides.
- Take weekend hikes with your family.
- Turn fun occasional activities into regular exercise, like salsa dancing, skating or cross-country skiing.