1. Walking Basics Stand tall. Look 20 feet ahead. Hold chin up, parallel to ground. Have shoulders slightly back. Such in stomach. Tighten buttocks. Bend elbows 90 degrees. Walking, strike ground with the heel. Roll from heel to toe. Push up with toe. Depending on the stride, about 2,000 steps is a mile.   2. Tips to Stay Motivated with a Walking Plan Ask other people to walk with you. Find two partners or a group. When you know someone else is waiting for you, it keeps you going Wear comfortable shoes and good socks to help cushion your feet Wear clothes that are right for the season. Try using layers of clothing in the cold weather to keep you warm, and cotton clothes in the summer to keep you cool Drink plenty of water. It doesn't have to be that fancy bottled stuff — get your own container and keep it filled with plenty of regular water. Carry it with you if you can Don't forget to stretch before you walk. Try to start off slowly Be safe — pay attention to your surroundings Walk in a safe place that has plenty of lights in the evening. Try walking around a local school's parking lot, or going to the mall Try to walk at least three times a week. It may seem like a lot at first, but you will gradually build up Try to think of your walk in three parts. Imagine a warm-up period at the beginning, challenge yourself with a brisk pace in the middle, and finally picture a cool-down. You can feel success when you finish each part.   Source: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/p_active/tips.htm

3. Aerobic activity – what counts?

Aerobic activity or "cardio" gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster. From pushing a lawn mower, to taking a dance class, to biking to the store – all types of activities count. As long as you're doing them at a moderate or vigorous intensity for at least 10 minutes at a time.

Intensity is how hard your body is working during aerobic activity.

How do you know if you're doing light, moderate, or vigorous intensity aerobic activities?
For most people, light daily activities such as shopping, cooking, or doing the laundry doesn't count toward the guidelines. Why? Your body isn't working hard enough to get your heart rate up.

Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell is that you'll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song. Here are some examples of activities that require moderate effort:

• Walking fast

• Doing water aerobics

• Riding a bike on level ground or with few hills

• Pushing a lawn mower

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. Here are some examples of activities that require vigorous effort:

• Jogging or running

• Swimming laps

• Riding a bike fast or on hills

• Playing singles tennis

• Playing basketball

You can do moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a mix of the two each week. A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.

Some people like to do vigorous types of activity because it gives them about the same health benefits in half the time. If you haven't been very active lately, increase your activity level slowly. You need to feel comfortable doing moderate-intensity activities before you move on to more vigorous ones. The guidelines are about doing physical activity that is right for you.

For more examples, see Measuring Physical Activity.

Muscle-strengthening activities – what counts?

Besides aerobic activity, you need to do things to strengthen your muscles at least 2 days a week. These activities should work all the major muscle groups of your body (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms).

To gain health benefits, muscle-strengthening activities need to be done to the point where it's hard for you to do another repetition without help.  A repetition is one complete movement of an activity, like lifting a weight or doing a sit-up.  Try to do 8—12 repetitions per activity that count as 1 set. Try to do at least 1 set of muscle-strengthening activities, but to gain even more benefits, do 2 or 3 sets.

You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same or different days that you do aerobic activity, whatever works best. Just keep in mind that muscle-strengthening activities don't count toward your aerobic activity total.

There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether it's at home or the gym. You may want to try the following:

• Lifting weights

• Working with resistance bands

• Doing exercises that use your body weight for resistance (i.e., push ups, sit ups)

• Heavy gardening (i.e., digging, shoveling)

• Yoga

What if you have a disability?

If you are an adult with a disability, regular physical activity can provide you with important health benefits, like a stronger heart, lungs, and muscles, improved mental health, and a better ability to do everyday tasks. It's best to talk with your health care provider before you begin a physical activity routine. Try to get advice from a professional with experience in physical activity and disability. They can tell you more about the amounts and types of physical activity that are appropriate for you and your abilities.

Tips on Getting Active

Adding Physical Activity to Your Life
If you're thinking, "How can I meet the guidelines each week?" don't worry. You'll be surprised by the variety of activities you have to choose from.

Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults
Based on the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, this brochure can help you decide the number of days, types of activities, and times that fit your schedule.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/index.html

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