Keep active and stay fit, social and healthy
WE’VE all heard the fitness slogan, find your 30.
It is a reminder you are meant to complete 30 minutes of physical activity each day, but how often have you stepped out of the house to enjoy an afternoon walk or round of golf this week?
Chances are the answer is not very often (if at all), so now is the time to turn your exercise habits around and get fit.
Staying active and finding your 30 is an important part of life, as it not only helps you manage your weight, it also provides a range of health benefits and improves your mood because it’s fun.
Becoming more active can be as easy as moving around your home more, taking regular walks or getting involved in a sports group or club — every little bit counts and can improve your Health and Fitness Age.
The Health and Fitness Age program is run by the Queensland Government and promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.
You can calculate your Health and Fitness Age online at the Queensland Health website healthier.qld.gov.au/calculator.
The site also features helpful tips for you to find ways to decrease your Health and Fitness Age if it is higher than it should be.
When making a change related to exercise it is important to start small to avoid injuries, so consider activites like walking or other low impact exercises for 10 minutes a day and build up your activity time from there.
Once you have reached a higher activity level, you may start to notice benefits including increased agility and a reduction in the risk of heart disease and arthritis.
Instead of resting your bones and joints, get active because mobility will help improve your bone strength, subsequently decreasing arthritic pains and the risk of bone fractures.
Just remember — becoming active doesn’t mean tiring yourself out or pushing yourself too far.
It can simply mean making a conscious decision to walk to a nearby destination instead of driving or taking the time to enjoy the great outdoors with your children or grandchildren instead of sitting inside.
Before you know it you will have formed a habit of exercising and you will be able to do more than you could before.
By becoming more agile and independent and sticking with your new program of at least 30 minutes of exercise each and every day, you can enjoy a happy and healthy life.