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Getting
Started
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Active living is an approach
to life that values and includes physical activity in everyday living.
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You can find ways to be
active at school, home, work, and during leisure time. Being active
means understanding the value of physical activity, and making it a
priority in your life.
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You may find that being fit
actually makes it easier to accomplish the other things that are
competing for your time.
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Accept and recognize that
healthy bodies come in a range of weights, shapes, and sizes. (Despite
the effect of weight on health, some research shows it may be better to
be fat and fit than thin and inactive.)
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Appreciate your strengths
and abilities and your unique characteristics.
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Choose to participate in
shorter, more frequent bursts of activity, instead of a few longer ones.
Fitting
Activity into Your Day
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Build exercise breaks into
meetings at work.
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Look for ways to take active
breaks everyday. For example,
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take a brisk walk during
lunch;
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use the stairs instead of the
elevator;
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walk or cycle to work or the
grocery store.
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Fit more physical activity
into your leisure time. For example, you could exercise while you watch
television, dance while you listen to music, or do something active with
your friends.
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Invest in your health and
well-being by walking, gardening, swimming, bicycling, or dancing. These
are the most popular activities. These activities are easy to start
because they
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don’t need much supervision
or training;
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can be done alone or with
friends;
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don’t cost much and are
convenient; and
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can be done by people of
almost any age.
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Physical activity is just as
important for bone health as it is for muscle strength. Women who
participate in weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running, or
tennis have greater bone density than women who participate in
non-weight-bearing exercise such as swimming or gardening.
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Think of family time as a
chance for both you and your loved ones to do active fun things
together. Include children on camping, hiking, canoeing, skiing, and
other trips and outings. Promote lifelong sports such as swimming,
cycling, tennis, jogging, skiing, or hiking.
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Consider what types of
community activities are available. Choose a time that works for you and
commit to participating in some type of physical activity each day.
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