Physical activity, along with healthy eating, is an integral component of a healthy lifestyle, and plays an important role in achieving a healthy weight and preventing overweight and obesity. Unfortunately, a significant number of Australians don’t get enough physical activity at the levels recommended to achieve health benefits. The following tips refer to ways in which you can become more active, and therefore experience the range of benefits associated with regular physical activity.
- Make regular physical activity a priority; commit to it and ensure it becomes part of your daily routine.
- Set yourself realistic, short-term and long-term goals and work towards them.
- Start exercising slowly, and gradually increase the intensity. Trying too hard at first can lead to injury and can increase your chances of dropping out.
- Use the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians as a guide and prompt for increasing physical activity levels. The Guidelines are as follows:
1. Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience.
2. Be active every day in as many ways as you can.
3. Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days.
4. If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous exercise for extra health and fitness.
- The 30 minutes recommended per day for physical activity does not have to be continuous; it can be accumulated over shorter bouts of activity.
- If possible, try to do some higher intensity physical activity as well, as this will provide additional health and fitness benefits.
- Try to be active in as many ways as you can over the day, to burn extra calories. Examples include taking the stairs instead of escalators or elevators, walking to the shops, parking the car further away from your destination, and getting off the train or bus a stop earlier.
- Find activities that you enjoy and vary the type of activity that you do. This way you are more likely to keep it up, remain motivated and enjoy exercising.
- Be active with friends or a partner; they should keep you motivated and make the activity more fun.
- Join a sport, health or recreation club for social support.
- Do not get discouraged if you miss a day of activity or two, or something interferes with your exercise routine. Incidences such as these should not be used as an excuse to stop exercising. Just keep trying and do your best to make exercise a regular part of your life.
