Chapter 7: Keep Going

Physical activity is a great way to have fun, be with friends and family, enjoy the outdoors, improve your fitness for your favorite sport, and maintain your independence. Older adults also gain substantial health benefits from regular physical activity, and these benefits last even into old age. The best way to be physically active is to make it a life-long habit. Once you get started, keep going.

Often, people decide to become more active and follow a healthy eating plan because they want to control their weight. For many people, these healthy habits do result in weight loss, but that’s only part of the big picture. Healthy eating and physical activity help you become physically fit and stay healthy.

Think about other lifestyle changes you can make, too. For example, smoking leads to a variety of serious diseases and can keep you from being active. So does drinking too much alcohol. Together, habits like physical activity, a healthful diet, drinking in moderation, and not smoking will help you achieve the main goal: the best of health.

On the following pages, you will find a number of worksheets you can use to help you meet your exercise and physical activity goals. Choose and use the ones that work for you.

	Make copies of the blank worksheets so you can update them as you progress.

  Activity Log

For a couple of weekdays and a weekend, write down how much time you are physically active (for example, walking, gardening, playing a sport, dancing, lifting weights). The goal is to find ways to increase your activity.

Total Minutes: _____________

Total Minutes: _____________

Total Minutes: _____________

  Goal-Setting Worksheet

Your success depends on setting goals that really matter to you. Write down your goals, put them where you can see them, and renew them regularly.

  Weekly Exercise and Physical Activity Plan

Use this form to make your own exercise and physical activity plan — one you think you really can manage. Update your plan as you progress. Aim for moderate-intensity endurance activities on most or all days of the week. Try to do strength exercises for all of your major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, but don’t exercise the same muscle group 2 days in a row. For example, do upper-body strength exercises on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and lower-body strength exercises on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Or, you can do strength exercises of all of your muscle groups every other day. Don’t forget to include balance and flexibility exercises.

  Endurance Daily Record

You can use these forms to record your endurance activities. Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity endurance activity on most or all days of the week. Every day is best.

  Strength and Balance Daily Record

You can use this form to keep track of the strength exercises you do each day. Try to do strength exercises for all of your major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week for 30-minute sessions each, but don’t exercise the same muscle group on any 2 days in a row. Record the number of repetitions and the amount of weight you use. (For a fully screen-reader accessible version of this table, please click here.)

  Flexibility Daily Record

You can use this form to keep track of your flexibility exercises. Record the number of repetitions you do.

  Monthly Progress Test

Take the tests in Chapter 5 monthly, record your scores, and watch your progress.

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