WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- This month, it's all about heart love at WUSA9. We are on a journey together to become our healthiest selves.
An important component of heart health is physical activity. You can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 35 percent if you exercise regularly.
Adults:
- Avoid Inactivity
- Some physical activity is better than none — and any amount has health benefits.
- Do Aerobic Activity
- For substantial health benefits, do one of the following:150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as brisk walking or tennis) or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as jogging or swimming laps)
Kids:
The Guidelines recommend that children and adolescents ages six to 17 do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day. That includes:
- Aerobic Activity: Most of the 60 or more minutes a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (such as running, dancing, or biking), and include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days a week
- Muscle-Strengthening: As part of the 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, include muscle-strengthening physical activity (such as climbing trees, using playground equipment, or lifting weights) on at least three days of the week
- Bone-Strengthening: As part of the 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, include bone-strengthening physical activity (such as running or jumping rope) on at least 3 days of the week
If you are having trouble getting moving, here are some free apps that can help you:
Couch to 5k: http://www.c25k.com/
Simple Steps: simplestepsapp.com
Map my Run: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/create/
