How much exercise?

Exercise is anything that gets you moving but how much is enough?

Research shows the most significant health benefits of exercise kick in with the first 1,000 calories of increased activity each week (about 145 calories a day) which isn't that much.

For example, a 150-pound person can burn off roughly 60 calories during 15 minutes of house work, more than 100 calories for 20 minutes of gardening and around 50 calories on a 10 minute walk.

To get an idea of how many calories you can burn doing different activities, see www.caloriecontrol.org/exercalc.html.

Here are a few tips to help build some extra activity into your day:

Take the stairs instead of riding the elevator or escalator.

Walk when you can, or when you go to the store park your car a block away from the entrance or at the rear of the parking lot.

View chores such as lawn mowing, raking leaves, dusting, vacuuming, etc., as opportunities to exercise.

Start a hobby like gardening that makes you move.

Try dancing. There are styles to suit any preference.

Take up a new sport like golf, tennis, swimming or yoga.

Join a walking group for motivation and fun. To find a walking club in your area, visit www.ava.org.

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