How to be Active and Fit
January 25, 2007 - Chandana Banerjee
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An active lifestyle is the key to a happy and healthy life. You don’t have to be the sporty type to be active; just packing in more activity in your daily schedule will be a good way to burn up those extra calories. You can begin by putting some more effort into physical tasks and relying less on labour saving devices.
If you have a sedantory job, then try taking short walks every couple of hours; take the stairs instead of the elevator; if you use public transport, get off a stop earlier and walk the rest. Try walking or cycling for short trips to the grocer or supermarket, instead of using the car.
Try packing in 25-30 minutes of exercise about five days a week to keep fit. You don’t have to buy expensive exercise equipment or join a gym to remain fit. Walking is one of the best ways to loose weight. Brisk walking can als lower the risk of heart disease.
You may also want to add some activity to your leisure time. You can take up a sport, such as swimming, cricket, tennis or football. If you’re not keen on sports, then you can do something fun like learning salsa or tai chi; kick-boxing, karate or roller skating.
Two or three 30-minute sessions in a week are a good way to become an active person. For maximum health benefits, 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week should be a good beginning.
To continue a sport or an activity, it’s important to choose something that you enjoy. Once you begin, you can build up your activity level gradually. It’s a good idea to vary your activity to exercise all your muscles and reduce the risk of injury to a particular set of muscles.
