Physical activity allows for the strengthening of different body parts, provides energy, helps handle stress, and improves quality of sleep, circulation as well as self confidence. Therefore, without remaining active, the health of individuals is negatively affected.

Lack of physical activity is referred to as inactivity. Common results of inactivity include:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Increased blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Anxiety and Depression
• Forms of cancer (colon, breast, uterine)
• Weakened immune system
• Lower metabolism
• Hormonal imbalance

These are just a few of the many health conditions associated with a lack of physical activity. Inactivity has been an increasing issue among the U.S. population as many people do not realize the negative side effects of this type of lifestyle. By looking at the negative results associated with inactivity, people should become more motivated to incorporate physical actions into their daily lives.

Here are some of my personal tips regarding how to find physical activities that suit you:

• Perform a variety of activities: By choosing a diverse exercise plan, you are able to discover new physical activities that benefit you or that you may enjoy. It is recommended that individuals utilize both aerobic and strengthening related activities into their lifestyle as well.
• Vary intensity levels: By involving light, moderate and vigorous intensity activities into your schedule, you are able to maximize the benefits of staying active. Furthermore, it will become easier to create a routine regarding the effort levels of each workout.
• Determine your goals: By identifying what you want out of your workouts, you will be able to find specific physical activities that suit your needs. Goals may vary among individuals. Common goals include: weight loss, increasing muscle strength, improving endurance/cardiovascular fitness and more.
• Find activities that suit your lifestyle and routine: Convenience is a major factor in people’s daily lives, especially when it comes to health. Creating a workout schedule that complies with work and additional activities will allow you to improve your health without creating the stress associated with an overly busy lifestyle.
• Exercise with a friend or family member: Performing physical activities with another person provides motivation to meet personal goals and try new things.
• Hire a personal trainer: Personal trainers help individuals develop a workout plan that fits their desired goals. In addition, personal trainers motivate you into trying out new physical activities. They provide proper techniques and monitor your progressive health over time.

What is exercise intensity?

Exercise intensity is a way of determining how hard your body is working during a specific physical activity. There a 3 “categories” regarding exercise intensity:

• Light intensity: activities containing this level of intensity require the least amount of energy. Performing everyday tasks are common examples of using light intensity.  
• Moderate intensity: requires more energy than activities with light intensity, but more than activities with vigorous intensity. Examples include: biking, slow dancing, brisk walking, jogging, water aerobics and more.
• Vigorous intensity: requires the highest amount of energy. Within this intensity, individuals have more difficulty performing the task, and is often seen through difficulty/trouble breathing. Examples include: running, swimming, jumping rope, hiking uphill and more.

Measuring exercise intensity:

There are 3 major measurement methods used to determine exercise intensity:

• Talk Test
• Target heart rate
• Exertion rating scale

 

Talk Test	Talk tests are a simpler, quicker method used to determine intensity level: If you can speak or sing in an easy manner, you are currently exercising at a light or low intensity level. If you can speak in a comfortable manner but are unable to sing, you are currently exercising at a moderate intensity level. Lastly, if you are unable to speak or sing without difficulty (specifically breathing troubles), you are currently exercising at a vigorous or high intensity level.
Target heart rate	Heart rate refers to the number of heart contractions or beats per minute. It is often measured in bpm. This rate will increase or decrease based on the intensity of a physical activity. An individual’s maximum heart rate correlates, for the most part, to age. For moderate intensity physical activities, a person’s heart rate should range from 50% to 70% of their maximum heart rate, and this percentage will increase or decrease when performing light or vigorous intensity activities. You can measure your current heart rate by finding your pulse through your inner wrist or the side of your windpipe. As you perform physical activities, focus on your change in heart rate to determine your intensity level. It’s important to remember that besides intensity level, time, weather, diet, hormones, medications, stress and other factors may impact your heart rate as well.
Exertion rating scale	The exertion rating scale, also known as the Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale measures the intensity of your physical activity based on how easy or difficult you find the exercise to be on a scale of 1-10. An individual must analyze physical signs including heart rate, breathing rate, sweating, fatigue and more. The exertion rating scale is based off of the following table: Level Exertion 0 None 1 Very light or minimal 2 Light 3 Moderate 4 Moderate or somewhat difficult 5 Difficult 6 Difficult 7 Very difficult 8 Extremely difficult 9 Maximum effort used 10 Maximum effort used

There are three major forms of physical activities:

1. Aerobic: During aerobic activities, oxygen is circulated through the blood. These exercises improves endurance and respiratory strength. Typically, aerobic activities focus on larger muscles for a sustained period of time. Walking, swimming, jogging and biking are examples of aerobic physical activities.
2. Strengthening: Strengthening physical activities typically involve moderate to higher levels of intensity. These activities work major body groups, promoting their growth/development by improving strength, power and endurance. There are two categories within strengthening exercises: muscle strengthening activities and bone-strengthening activities. Examples of muscle strengthening activities include:using resistance bands, climbing stairs, incline walking (i.e. hills), gardening, push-ups, sit-ups and more. Examples of bone-strengthening activities, include jumping rope and lifting weights.
3. Stretching: Stretching improves joint movement and flexibility. Stretching is crucial in preventing injuries, particularly within major muscle groups.

Staying active is important for everyone. However, age (among other factors) impacts how much physical activity you and your body needs:

Children (ages 2-6)	There aren’t exact time periods of physical activity recommended for this younger age group. However, it is important for children of these ages to remain active in order for their bodies to begin developing.
Adolescents (ages 7-17)	It is expected that individuals within this age group should participate in physical activity for at least an hour each day. In addition, these activities should consist of different intensity levels in order to benefit the individual. Furthermore, adolescents are typically active in shorter “bursts” rather than longer periods of time, thus, they should value these moments to remain active. Exercise among this age group is essential for the body to grow/develop.
Adults (18-64)	Adults should devote a specific amount of time for aerobic physical activity within their daily week. Depending on the intensity of the workout/activity, recommended time may range from 75 to 150 minutes per week. Spreading this time throughout the week is beneficial for those within this age group as well. It is important for adults to find physical activities that suit them as well as their health.

Remaining active is essential in one’s well-being, both physically and mentally. All of the components of physical health go hand in hand. Without staying active, one’s body cannot fully operate, due to a variety of factors. The following sections will reveal how one should integrate physical activity into their lifestyle. Furthermore, we will discuss the importance of staying active as well as the negative consequences associated with inactivity.