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Topic OverviewAerobic activity raises your heart rate and keeps it up for a while. This increases the amount of oxygen delivered to your heart and muscles. Over time, this kind of activity benefits your heart, your muscles, your mood and self-esteem, and your amount of energy. It can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, body fat, anxiety and depression, and fatigue. Show Finding the right activityExperts say to do regular moderate activity and/or vigorous-intensity activity. Here are some ideas for both types of activities. You can boost many of the moderate activities in the left column to a vigorous level by doing them faster or harder.footnote 1
Adding variety to a fitness program is a good way to keep motivated.
Activity at the officeIf your job includes lots of sitting, try adding these short bursts of activity to your day:
Coaching and teachingIf you are bored with a sport or activity that you once enjoyed, coaching or giving instruction can renew your interest.
CompetitionCompetition can be a good motivator because:
Helping to plan or organize a competitive event instead of entering it can provide friendship and fun with others interested in the same activity. Cross-trainingCross-training is the combination of various activities to spread the work among various muscle groups. Cross-training has some important advantages:
Some exercise machines, such as elliptical cross-trainers, can help you cross-train. Or you can use exercise machines that give variety to your program by working muscle groups that aren't heavily used in your primary activity. Health ToolsHealth Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health. Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.
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CreditsCurrent as of: Author: Healthwise Staff Current as of: September 10, 2020 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Thomas M. Bailey MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Heather Chambliss PhD - Exercise Science This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. |