KNOW YOUR BODY. CHECK YOURSELF. ACT EARLY.
In the United States, 72,000 15-40 year olds are diagnosed with cancer EVERY YEAR.
Everyday exercise tips:
Adults are recommended to get 30 minutes of physical activity aside from everyday tasks at least five times per week; children are recommended to get 60 minutes. Even if you do not set aside specific time to work out, you can still get exercise throughout the day by making a point to do regular tasks. Here are some exercise tips to follow no matter how fit you are:
- "I never workout"...
Going to grocery store? Pick a parking spot far away so you walk more to get to and from your car and use the manual doors rather than the automatic ones.
Stop paying for chores! Washing your car, mowing your lawn, and even cleaning the house are great ways to get some extra exercise, and you’ll save money by doing it yourself too!
Watching TV? Get up during the commercials and do jumping jacks, crunches, or stretch! Also, try losing the remote on purpose! Get up each time you need to change the channel.
Don’t bother waiting for the elevator, take the stairs and burn some extra calories!
Catching up with an old friend? Suggest a walk instead of grabbing coffee or dinner!
Stand up when doing things that you usually sit doing (surfing the web, watching TV, etc)!
When walking, tuck in your belly button, roll your shoulders back, and breathe deeply, this will help you get a few minutes of core muscle training.
Plant and tend to a garden, the time spent working outside gets you active (and you have fresh fruits and veggies to eat!)!
- "I workout occasionally"...
Live close to work or the store? At least once a week make a point to walk or ride your bike instead of driving. Increase this once a week habit to more often as you get fitter.
Walk with a friend in the morning before work, or in the afternoon after dinner. Keep in mind: pull in your belly button and roll back your shoulders while you walk to boost core muscle training!
Burn an extra 100 calories a day! Here are a few ways to shave off that extra 100:
- Walk one mile, about 20 minutes
- Pull weeds or plant flowers for 20 minutes
- Mow the lawn for 20 minutes
- Clean the house for 30 minutes
- Jog for 10 minutes
Put on your favorite music and dance a little! Even if it’s only for song or two while you’re getting dressed in the morning.
Schedule time to work out in advance so you’re more likely to stick to it.
Challenge yourself! Make a goal to increase the number of pushups or sit-ups you can do by the end of each week.
Volunteer for community service that gets you up and active (Habitat for Humanity, Charity Walks, Community Clean Ups, etc.).
- "I work out regularly"...
What time of day to you work out? Challenge yourself to work out in the morning before work, this can burn more calories and get you feeling energized and fresh for your day.
Join a community sports team.
Love chatting with a friend while on a jog or on the treadmill? Intensify your workout by upping the speed for a certain amount of time each day so you are unable to carry on a conversation, but have to focus all of your energy and breathing on the task at hand..
Do you get bored jogging at the same pace for thirty minutes? To boost your stamina try interval training: modify your workout to consist of short spurts of high stimulation exercise with short recovery periods. Mix sprinting, jogging, and walking together for the full length of your cardio workout.
Taking a day off? Choose a day late in the week, like Friday or Saturday. Working out Monday is important as it sets your motivation for the rest of the week. Also, never take two days off in a row! Choose two days separate from each other to take a break so your routine stays consistent.
Favor one exercise over another? Make sure your workouts are a healthy balance between cardiovascular and aerobic training, strength and resistance training, and balance and flexibility training.
- "I'm addicted to exercise"...
Bored of the gym or your regular routine? Explore while you exercise! Keep your runs exciting by giving yourself new surroundings. Run around a lake, in the woods, or down a long road you’ve never been on before.
Spread the fitness! Bring a friend or loved one to the gym and help them learn the workout techniques you used to get in shape. Many people want to get in shape but simply don’t know where to begin, with your expertise you can help spread the good health.
Look into charity walks, races, and bike rides. Many of them are actually quite a fitness challenge! Gain support from friends and sign up!
Have a weak spot? Push yourself to practice in your worst areas of activity to become a well rounded athlete.
Want some competition? Sign up for a challenging sporting event like a triathlon and let the competition motivate you!
Need a new long term goal? Begin training for a marathon that you hope to run in 9 or 12 months. Find a group of others with the same goal and train together!
