Make Physical Activity a Regular Part of the Day

Choose activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. Fitting activity into a daily routine can be easy-such as taking a brisk 10 minute walk to and from the parking lot or bus stop. Keep it interesting by trying something different on alternate days. What's important is to be active most days of the week and make it a part of daily routine.

For example, to reach a 30-minute goal for the day, walk the dog for 10 minutes before and after work, and add a 10 minute walk at lunchtime. Make sure to do at least 10 minutes of the activity at a time, shorter bursts of activity will not have the same health benefits. To be ready anytime, keep some comfortable clothes and a pair of walking or running shoes in the car and at the office. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.

Some physical activities are not intense enough to help you meet the recommendations. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for. These include walking at a casual pace, such as while grocery shopping, and doing light household chores.