Being active means different things to different people, as does putting in extra effort to be moreactive.

Some people will prefer putting extra activity into everyday tasks like:

- walking to the shops more briskly, - doing more gardening, - running up and down the stairs 10 extra times a day.

Others will prefer a regular or recreational activity - formal exercise sessions at home or in a

class with an instructor.

Many of us will prefer a combination ofthese things.

Fitness for life surprises us with just how little you have to do to enjoy health benefits.

Modern living has created a life of too much ease and whilst we don't want to put back the daily grind, we do need to be more active.

The Case For Exercise

Health and fitness are two sides of the same coin. In order to be fit we need to be active. If we are inactive the risks of ill health increases even if we are perfectly healthy now.



The more active we are the fitter we will be and the less we will risk ill health.



Being active involves physical exercise which means just about any physical activity that uses our muscles. It includes walking, going up or down the stairs, housework, cleaning the car, gardening or playing with children.



Inactivity leads to a poor heart and circulation, weaker muscles, thinner bones, less flexible joints, more fat and slower reflexes. It also makes us more susceptible to a range of illnesses, including heart attacks.



Health problems caused by inactivity include:



- obesity, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease,

- osteoporosis, loss of flexibility,

- progressive weakening of the immune system.



Chronic fatigue and mental depression are also closely associated with a sedentary lifestyle.



With regular activity:



- heart function improves and blood pressure goes down,

- blood circulation improves,

- muscle develops to produce aerobic energy, increase strength and reduce fatigue,

- the flexibility of joints increases to reduce the risk of injury and increase the stability of joints,

- mood improves, along with confidence and reaction times,

- control of body weight is assisted and helps to prevent diabetes.

These are just some of the reasons for finding a regular series of acvtivities that prevent your health from deteriorating and improve your physical fitness.

The bottom line is that if you increase the amount of physical activity you do each day, not only will your health be better, you'll also look and feel great.

That should be sufficient reason to get out there and become more active.



Tony Dunne is a regular walker in The Peak District, the United Kingdom's most popular National Park. He is also web master of short-walks.com, a web site dedicated to short walks in The Peak District and the Cheshire Plain, areas of outstanding natural beauty, with countless opportunities for short walks.
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