The original page can be found on-line at http://www.pioneerthinking.com/aicr_exercise.html
Sometimes it seems as if America is in an exercise craze. Gyms and fitness centers are multiplying. People of all ages go there. Outdoors, you can depend on seeing joggers, bikers, skateboarders and walkers. Reports on the importance of exercise also appear frequently in the news. It seems as if Americans know they should stay active.
Yet according to a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population fail to exercise in their leisure time. Although 60 percent said they get ten minutes or more of physical activity during their leisure hours, only about 30 percent of the population actually meet current recommendations for regular exercise.
The CDC defines regular exercise as at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days per week. Moderate activity causes light sweating or a moderate increase in breathing or heart rate. Vigorous activity, which causes heavy sweating or large increases in breathing or heart rate, can be substituted, as long as it occurs at least three days a week for 20 minutes or more.
Over time, even this amount of regular activity helps prevent a range of health problems and diseases. For example, regular exercise appears to reduce overall cancer risk significantly. However, for greater protection against cancer and other ailments, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) suggests people should aim for an hour total of moderate activity a day and one hour of vigorous activity each week.
Scheduling Time for Activity
Because leisure time for working adults can be rare and short lasting, it’s important to develop a schedule or habit to ensure that exercise is a part of your day. If you’re an office worker, one idea is to practice simple yoga moves at your desk. These exercises can help alleviate the strain from working on a computer. For example, stand in your office space, locking your fingers together behind your back. Stretch your shoulders back to open the chest. Take several breaths. Keep your head level and look straight ahead. Another move can be done sitting with your feet firmly on the floor. Twist to the right on an exhale, placing one hand on the back of the chair and the other on the side or seat. Hold your position for a few breaths. Then repeat on the left.
When you can fit in a longer amount of time exercising, a hike in pleasant scenery is refreshing for both the body and mind. Explore the countryside, public recreation areas or national parks near where you live. Pack a lunch, take a friend and make your day an adventure. Happy trails!
For more help developing simple exercises at work, visit the website My Daily Yoga, www.mydailyyoga.com, which has excellent demonstration pictures. For finding places to hike in the United States, visit Trail Link, www.traillink.com, provided by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, or ParkNet, www.nps.gov, created by the National Park Service.
ARTICLE POSTED
FEBRUARY 19, 2003