Pushing Play and Keeping Active

 

 

Physical activity is about having fun and putting that bounce back into your life! Being active doesn't have to mean going to expensive gyms and attending classes or joining a sports team.

You can do things that are free, such as walking, running or playing with your children. Remember it doesn't have to be strenuous to provide health benefits. People who are inactive or sedentary can significantly improve their health by doing everyday, moderate activities such as those listed below.

• Raking leaves
  
• Digging in the garden
  
• Waxing the car
  
• Walking the dog
  
• Mowing the lawn
  
• Mopping floors
  
• Dancing
  
• Pushing a pram
  
• Washing windows
  
• Energetic vacuuming
  
• Swimming
  
• Walking
  
• Wheeling yourself in a wheelchair
  
• Riding a bike

 

Any activity that makes your heart beat faster will give you health benefits. For the greatest health gains, physical activity should be done 30 minutes or more each day, five days a week. You don't have to do the full 30 minutes in one block. A good idea is to do 10-minute blocks of activity three times a day.

It is better to do some physical activity everyday rather than to be a "weekend warrior." For example, try stretching out garden chores in 20-30 minute segments over the week instead of doing them all on Saturday.

When you have achieved the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity per day, you can get even greater health benefits by increasing the frequency, duration and intensity. The most dramatic health benefits come from vigorous activity.

 

Why be physically active?

Physical activity can make you feel less tired, less stressed and give you an increased sense of vitality. It can also make you feel happier - it has a kind of anti-depressant effect. There is a definite 'feel good' factor about physical activity, which everybody who is regularly active can eventually benefit from.

Most people like to look good as well as feel good and this is another area where physical activity can help. Physical activity helps control and burn body fat and it strengthens and tones muscles as well as improving posture.

 

Your health in the long term

The health benefits of physical activity are well documented and numerous.

Regular physical activity can:

• Protect and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
  
• Reduce the risk of diabetes.
  
• Helps prevent the bone disease osteoporosis (brittle bones).
  
• Improves mental help.
  
• Make us more flexible, so we have fewer accidents and less back pain.
  
• Helps maintain a healthy weight- the more active you are the more energy (calories) you burn.
  
• Helps reduce menstrual problems, pre-menstrual problems, pre-menstrual syndrome and constipation.
  
• And physical activity can slow down the ageing process!

It is important also to remember that you're never too old to start exercising and experience the benefits.

 

Practical tips to adopt for staying active

• Choose activities that you enjoy. These activities are more likely to be kept up.
  
• Vary the type of activity, to prevent boredom setting in.
  
• Set realistic goals, goals that are achievable.
  
• Include your friends and family in your activity. This way you can all motivate each other.
  
• Plan the physical activity into your day. It's more likely that you keep this commitment if the activity is included in your routine.
  
• Congratulate yourself when you have reached a goal. Job well done!

 

Some more ideas

• Get mobile with you mobile - use the cordless or mobile phone and walk while you talk. Do a few circles of the desk or a few laps of the hall.
• Forget the car wash - doing it by hand will save you money and help you to stay healthy.
• Instead of jumping in the car or sending the kids, take a brisk walk to the dairy, or better still, make it a family outing.
• Walk every aisle of the supermarket, use a basket instead of a trolley and park at the furthest end of the car park. Carrying bags is a good way to work on your strength.
• It has to be done, so make it work for you. Turn up the stereo and rip into the vacuuming, window washing, bath cleaning and floor mopping. Housework is a terrific moderate-intensity workout.
• Put on some beats and let yourself go. Dancing is great for general fitness, flexibility and muscle tone and you'll feel great.
• Get up those stairs or walk up escalators - two steps at a time is a very good butt toner.
• There are now loads of brilliant triathlons around the country that absolutely anyone can build up to - they're fun, they're a way to get active and you'll really feel as though you've achieved something.

 

Push Play Trailer 

Leisure Active has a push play trailer full of sports and recreation equipment for hire.  Click on the link above for more information.

 

 

Walking and Walkways

Hutt City has some great places to walk.  Click on the link above for more information.

 

Need More Advice?

 

Visit the following websites for more information:

SPARC (Sport and Recreation New Zealand) Push Play

 

ActiveSmart - online running, walking, and cycling plans

 

Sport Wellington Region - regional sports trust.