Steps to Get You Moving << Staying Active and Eating Healthy << womenshealth.gov

Get Moving!

With all the things that you have to do each day, finding the time and motivation to get moving can be challenging. Here are some suggestions for getting started:

If you can't set aside one block of time, do short activities throughout the day, such as three 10-minute walks.

Choose activities that are fun.

Vary your activities, so you don't get bored. For instance, use different jogging, walking, or biking paths to vary your routine. Or bike one day, and jog the next.

Join a hiking or running club.

Wear a pedometer (a small tool worn on your belt that counts the number of steps you take). Try to walk 10,000 steps each day.

Create opportunities for activity, such as parking your car some distance from your destination and walking.

Use stairs instead of the elevator.

Walk or bike to work or to the store.

Be physically active at lunch with coworkers, family, or friends.

Take a break at work to stretch or take a quick walk.

Don't let cold weather keep you on the couch! You can find activities to do in the winter, such as exercising to a workout video.

If you have children, make time to play with them outside. Set a good example!

Go dancing with your partner or friends..

Turn activities into social occasions—for example, go to a movie after you and a friend work out.

Plan active vacations that will keep you moving, such taking tours and site-seeing on foot.

Set specific, short-term goals, and reward yourself when you achieve them.

Don't expect to notice body changes right away. It can take weeks or months before you notice some of the changes from being physically active, such as weight loss.

If you live in a neighborhood where it is unsafe to be physically active outdoors, contact your local recreational center or church to see if they have any indoor activity programs that you can join.

Make physical activity a regular part of your day, so that it becomes a habit—and perhaps something you look forward to!

Additional Resources

Publications

Physical Activity for Everyone: Making Physical Activity Part of Your Life: Tips for Being More Active - This publication provides tips on how you can become more physically active, how to avoid exercise-induced injuries, and how to overcome some of the common barriers to physical activity.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/life/tips.htm

Physical Activity Guidelines - This fact sheet summarizes the latest knowledge about activity and health, with depth and flexibility targeting specific population subgroups, such as seniors and children. This effort is inspired by President Bush's personal dedication to physical fitness and his desire that every American have access to science-based guidelines.

http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/Default.aspx

The President's Challenge - You're it. Get fit! - The President's Challenge is a program designed to help you get fit. No matter what your fitness level, the President's Challenge can help you improve it. On this site you can learn how to create an active lifestyle, keep a log of your physical activity, and use on-line fitness calculators to track your progress in achieving your fitness goals.

http://www.presidentschallenge.org/

Walking...A Step in the Right Direction - This publication contains information about how to start your own walking and exercise program. A sample walking program and guidelines are provided to help guide you through developing your own program.

http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm

Exercise: A Healthy Habit to Start and Keep (Copyright © AAFP) - This publication provides information on how you can start an exercise program and how to make it a habit. It also provides information the different types of exercise and the benefits of physical activity.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/basics/059.html

Exercise: How to Get Started (Copyright © AAFP) - This fact sheet discusses the importance of exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing health problems. Tips are offered on how to get started as well as diagrams on how to properly stretch before any level of exercise.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/physical/basics/015.html

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated June 17, 2008.