Physical inactivity is a risk factor for heart disease. If you are not a smoker and eat healthy, but don’t engage in regular physical activity, you are putting yourself at risk. If you choose the parking lot or parking space closest to your office or the entrance to the store, the thought of going for a walk is misery, or riding a bike is a childhood memory, your are putting yourself at risk.
I’ve mentioned it before, and it will likely be mentioned again, your leisure time physical activity:
- needs to be consistent. It should not last for a few days or a few weeks and then be forgotten until next New Years or health scare.
- needs to be moderate-vigorous. It should not be a stroll around the mall or sauntering around the park while your dog is running around sniffing everything. The more vigorous, the better.
Now, this is not saying to go from couch potato to hot potato, but work on becoming a moderate to vigorous exerciser. It does take time, several weeks to several months, to work up to the vigorous activity. If you start out vigorous, you will very likely end up back on the couch and vow to never return to activity again.
Even if you never get to “vigorous” but remain at “moderate” just go at it regularly and forever. Vow to be that person at the assisted living facility who is the first person to sign up for the guided walks and other activities and beat out the other folks on the 1-mile walk, because if you are one of the Americans who starts engaging if leisure time physical activity you can prevent or control your personal risk of high blood cholesterol, diabetes and most likely will lose weight and prevent or reduce your risk of becoming obese.
Don’t want to run or ride a bike? No one said you needed to. Just get outside and walk. Walk for 15 minutes at least 4 days a week. Do this for 2 weeks; the following week work towards 20 minutes on each of those 4 days. As you feel comfortable with it, keep moving up by 5-10 minutes each week or two until you have reached a minimum of 30 minutes, 5 days a week and ideally 60 minutes, 5 days a week. This is consistent with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans that I blogged about back in November 2008.
This is so good for your heart, good for your weight, good for your blood pressure, good for your cholesterol, good for your blood sugar control, good for your bones, good for your joints, good for your stress levels, and great family time or alone time depending on which you choose.
If it is cold, bundle up. If it is hot, go early in the morning or in the evening and wear a hat. Either way, take water if you are going out more than 30 minutes.
NO EXCUSES! Heart disease has painful consequences if you wait too long, so get moving now.
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