Getting active doesn’t mean you have to take up running or join a gym. It starts with simply moving more during the day – by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, choosing a faraway parking spot, or walking to a coworker’s cubicle instead of picking up the phone to talk.
Even small increases in activity can lower your risk of heart disease enormously and help you feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally. You may experience less stress, be less likely to overeat, and feel calmer and happier. If that isn’t enough, think of the good example you’ll be setting for your family and friends!
Physical activity helps to control many of the risk factors for heart disease: cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, blood pressure and stress. So it isn’t surprising to find that 35 percent of deaths from heart disease could be avoided through increased activity. In fact, the cardiac risk of being inactive is comparable to the risk from smoking cigarettes.
Ideally, women would engage in some physical activity for 30 minutes on most days of the week. Since that’s not always practical, it’s important to recognize that every incremental increase in physical activity yields some health benefit. Plus, small steps can easily lead to bigger ones!