In fact, according to National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, exercise is considered as effective as antidepressants in treating mild-to-moderate depression.
The key to keeping active is finding an exercise you enjoy. So if jogging brings back bad memories of school cross-country races, forget it.
Besides the usual sports such as running, cycling and swimming, consider yoga, t'ai chi, dancing, gardening, rambling, golf or bowling.
Check out the local library or health center for what's going on -- you may be entitled to a discount for local classes.
Or simply do more routine activity -- walking your children or grandchildren to school, for instance.
And remember -- little changes can make a big difference: A woman who walks at 3.5 mph for half an hour will burn up 150 calories -- that's more than a 1-ounce bag of light, salted chips (132 calories).
Before you start exercising, check with your doctor, especially if you have any medical conditions.
Choose an activity that suits your personality and your health. For instance, if you have a weak knee, try swimming rather than running.
Whatever exercise you choose, it's important to start slowly.
Even if you're limited by disability, there are so many activities available, you'll be able to find something that suits you.
"If you do nothing else, get up and move for five minutes every hour," advises Dr. Peeke.
"This could be walking around your garden, going up and down the stairs, or cleaning out your cupboards. If you do this over nine hours, you'll have sneaked in 45 minutes of exercise."
With any activity, stop if you experience pain; an injury could set you back for weeks.
Gadgets that measure progress can really motivate you. Ideally, we should all be walking around 10,000 steps a day, but most of us clock up a mere 3,000. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, participants in a healthy lifestyle program who wore pedometers (gadgets that measure how far you walk) increased their daily activity levels by 30 minutes. ...
Having company when you exercise can also help, so rope in a friend to join you for walks.
A dog needs walking every day, and 70 percent of dog owners feel instantly better as a result of walking their pet, according to a recent survey.
If you have a dog, try Petsercise, an exercise program that aims to boost the health and fitness of dogs and their owners. For a free copy, log on to www.pethealthcouncil.co.uk.
Want to Know More?
Read Body for Life for Women (Rodale Press, 2005) by Dr. Pamela Peeke.
"Be Strong, Be Steady" is an exercise video from Help the Aged, aimed at helping prevent falls. Log on to www.helptheaged.org.uk/homeshopping.
Source: Daily Mirror. Powered by Yellowbrix.
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