Are you ready to be even more active?

As you become more fit, slowly increase your pace, the length of time you are active, and how often you are active. For a well-rounded workout plan, combine aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercises, and stretching. (Check with your health care provider first if you are over 50 or have any health problems.)

Do at least 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on most or all days of the week. Add muscle-strengthening activities to your aerobic workout two to three times a week. To reduce the risk of injury, do a slow aerobic warm-up, then stretch before aerobic or strengthening activities. Follow your workout with a few more minutes of stretching.

Aerobic activity is any activity that speeds up your heart and breathing while moving your body at a regular pace. If you have been inactive for a while, you may want to start with easier activities such as walking at a gentle pace. This lets you build up to more intense activity without hurting your body.

Regular aerobic activity can help to:

Reduce weight.
Aerobic activity burns calories, which helps to reduce body fat.

Prevent heart disease and stroke.
Regular aerobic activity can strengthen your heart muscle and lower your blood pressure. It may also help lower cholesterol, a type of fat in your blood.

Maintain strong bones.
Weight-bearing aerobic activities that involve lifting or pushing your own body weight, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, help to maintain strong bones.

Improve your outlook.
Aerobic exercise relieves tension and decreases stress. As you get fit, it can help to build confidence and improve your self-image.

Choose aerobic activities that are fun. People are more likely to be active if they like what they are doing. It also helps to get support from a friend or a family member. Try one of these activities or others you enjoy:

• brisk walking
• jogging
• bicycling
• swimming
• aerobic exercise classes
• dancing (square dancing, salsa, African dance, swing)
• playing basketball or soccer

Strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing push-ups or sit-ups. Besides building stronger muscles, strengthening activities may help you to:

Use more calories. Not only does the exercise burn calories, but having more muscle means you will burn more calories-even when you are sitting still.

Reduce injury. Stronger muscles improve balance and support your joints, lowering the risk of injury.

Maintain strong bones. Doing strengthening exercises regularly helps build bone and may prevent bone loss as you age.

Strengthening exercises should focus on working the major muscle groups of the body, such as the chest, back, and legs. Do exercises for each muscle group two or three times a week. Allow at least 1 day of rest for your muscles to recover and rebuild before another strengthening workout. (It is safe to do aerobic activity every day.)

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