An attitude toward life known as ""active living"" emphasizes and incorporates physical activity into daily activities. You can find ways to stay active when at home, at work, in school, and in your own time. An fitness regimen is not the same as active life. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, participate in a standing or walking meeting, bike to work, practice yoga over lunch, garden, take the kids or dog to the park, walk to the other building at your workplace, or swim laps in the pool. These are all examples of living an active lifestyle.
How much exercise is too much?
Being ""physically active"" is simpler than you might imagine. To reap the health benefits, the Public Health Agency of Canada advises us to engage in physical activity for at least 2.5 hours (150 minutes) per week. The objective is to finish an aerobic activity that is moderate to vigorous. By accumulating 10 minute or longer bouts of activity throughout the day, this objective can be met. A variety of strength, flexibility, and endurance exercises should be included in physical activity. This concoction supports healthy bones, a robust heart and lungs, and supple, dynamic joints. Spend at least two days a week working on your bones and muscles. An illustration of what moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise ""looks like"" is shown in the chart below: Time Required Is Determined by Effort Quite little effort minimal effort Medium Effort Strong Effort All-Out Effort Strolling Dusting brisk walking Volleyball Simple gardening Stretching rapid walking Skating Biking leaf raking dancing while swimming Aquatic exercise Aerobics Skiing in the mountains Basketball Basketball Basketball Hockey quick swimming Quick dancing Sprinting Racing How should I be feeling as I exercise? Am I warm enough? How well am I breathing? Nothing different from while you're sleeping beginning to become warm Warmer Very warm very warm and intensely perspiring regular breathing slightly faster breathing rate greater acceleration of breathing even more breathless I'm completely gassed
What are a few examples of different activities?
It's crucial to incorporate a variety of activities into your daily schedule. The body's capacity to utilize oxygen is improved through endurance (aerobic) exercise. Walking corporate or planned occasions (special activity days, sports teams, etc.) Golfing (without a cart) (without a cart) Cycling Dancing Exercises that promote flexibility help to keep the body's natural flexibility. yard chores and gardening Yoga Chi gung Performing stretches at your desk In addition to strengthening muscles, strength training also helps with balance and posture. escalating stairs lugging around toolboxes and lifting (or young children) Using weights resistance exercise gardening that requires digging or shoving You can do the following exercises to strengthen your bones: Running Walking Yoga Leaping a rope
How can I schedule active time at work?
People frequently believe they don't have enough time to ""add"" activities to their day. Workplaces can be helpful. No of their age or degree of skill, employees can be encouraged at work to participate in a variety of activities. Most people simply need assistance getting started. In order to achieve these goals, ""balance"" must come from the person desiring to begin or continue an activity program and having support from the employer. There are numerous areas and tactics that can boost involvement in fitness and active living programs, regardless of whether you work for a small or large organization. Several tactics include: Create a company physical fitness policy. Find out what kinds of programs the staff is interested in. Have a flexible schedule. People can add activity to their day by being given the option to arrive at work a bit later or leave a little early. Job sharing, telecommuting, and on-site day care will also provide some flexibility to schedules. Allow individuals to take an extra half hour twice a week at lunch to walk, swim, attend fitness class, etc. Encourage people to walk to a co-worker's office or workstation rather than using the telephone or e-mail. Allow for and encourage stretch breaks while at the workstation. Map a 10 minute walking route inside or outside your workplace. Encourage staff to take a mid-morning or afternoon “active” break. Start each workday or shift with a pre-shift stretch program. Provide bike racks (in secure location). Offer on-site change rooms, fitness facilities, or negotiate discounts to various health clubs in the area. Offer a wide range of company programs, whether it is a walk / bike group or an organized exercise activity (can be just 10 minutes long). Provide resources and education - newsletters, bulletins, community guides, health fairs, guest speakers, instructors for a new activity or sport, etc. Help staff to find a support group or buddy system to encourage each other.
How can a physical activity program help your workplace?
Simply put, a workplace that supports physical activity provides and enhances quality of life for employees, both inside and outside of the workplace. When employees are encouraged to be active, there can be benefits for both the employee and the company, such as: Gains in productivity. Decreases in absenteeism and turnover. More positive and happier employees and workplace culture. Lower medical costs and fewer injuries. Enhanced corporate image. Reduction in stress and increase in relaxation. Improved employee health / wellness. It is important for organizations not only to analyze the cost of running a physical activity program in the short term, but also to see how it will benefit the organization in the long run.
How do you get a program started?
Sometimes making small changes can support big results. The employees, management and committees can create ideas or initiate for the workplace. After acknowledging these ideas, a detailed plan of action can be the next step. In this step, you can plan your activities that can be developed for your specific workplace setting. After a program is in place, it should be monitored, evaluated and maintained. Encourage employees to get a fitness evaluation and/or health risk appraisal from their doctor before starting any significant exercise program. Work with senior management to resolve multiple factors (such as physical work environment, scheduling of work tasks, etc.) that can influence the employee's capacity to be active. Help individuals find that one reason they need to get started and help them recognize that reasons to stay active may change over time. Encourage people to start with one small activity. Whatever their situation or ability, they can try a variety of activities to improve their health and find out what is right for them. Provide the information that people need. Often the act of looking for information is the first step towards getting started. Allow participants to choose activities that they like to do. Invite potential participants to watch activities or to participate in a trial class to see if they are interested. Have a person trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) present at moderate to high physical activity sessions. Offer a variety of programs. Be sure there is a mixture of endurance, strength and flexibility activities.
Where can I find more information?
More information on active living is available from the following organizations*:
Healthy Living, Health Canada. Physical Activity, Public Health Agency of Canada Alberta Centre for Active Living (*We have mentioned these organizations as a means of providing a potentially useful referral. You should contact the organization(s) directly for more information about their information and/or services. Please note that mention of these organizations does not represent a recommendation or endorsement by CCOHS of these organizations over others that you may know.) [Adapted from: Comprehensive Workplace Health Program Guide, CCOHS] """ - https://www.affordablecebu.com/
