Keeping Fit
You don’t have to join a gym to get your daily exercise. Physical activity is any form of movement that uses energy. Some of your daily activities like doing chores around the house, yard work, or walking the dog are great ways to stay fit.
Walking is a terrific way to add physical activity to your life. When you first start, walk 10 minutes a day on a few days during the first couple of weeks. Try walking the dog or walking to pick up lunch when you’re at work.
Little by little, add more time and days. Walk a little longer. Try 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes. Then walk on more days a week. Once this is easy to do, try walking faster. When you feel comfortable, try walking to work or walking to pick the kids up from school or after-school activities.
Talking a walk is great way to get some exercise, see the sights, and get to know your neighbors. Walkscore.com recently rated Philadelphia as the 5th most walkable city in the country.
38 different Philadelphia neighborhoods were rated as great for walking. That means more exercise and less money spent on gas or time stuck in traffic. Check out how they calculate their scores right here.
Looking for great places to walk in Philadelphia? Try one of these sites:
- Walking Tours - GoPhila.com
- Fairmount Park Trails
- Seven Walking Tours of Philadelphia - Independence Hall Association
- Constiutional Walking Tour of Philadelphia (Self-guided)
Know of a great walk in Philadelphia? Send us an email and we’ll post it.
The most important thing is to pick an activity you like and one that fits into your life. Find the time that works best for you. Be active with friends and family. Having a support network can help you keep up with your program. And remember that doing something is better than doing nothing.
Tips to get you started:
- Park farther away from your home or the store.
- Take the stairs.
- Instead of having lunch delivered, walk to pick up lunch.
- Get involved in your kids’ activities.
- Carry a shopping basket, instead of pushing a cart.
Can’t afford your gym membership anymore?
Use the PhillyHealthInfo.org Fitness page to find low cost exercise classes near you.
Moderate Activities
- Ballroom and line dancing
- Biking on level ground or with few hills
- Yard work or gardening
- Playing sports with the kids or friends (baseball, softball, volleyball)
- Using your manual wheelchair
- Doubles tennis (click here to find a Philadelphia Department of Recreation tennis court near you)
- Walking briskly
Vigorous Activities
- Biking faster than 10 miles per hour
- Salsa or hip-hop dancing
- Heavy gardening (digging, hoeing)
- Hiking (find hikes here)
- Jumping rope
- Speed walking, jogging, or running
- Sports with a lot of running (basketball, hockey, soccer)
- Swimming laps (click here to find a Philadelphia Department of Recreation swimming pool near you)
- Singles Tennis (click here to find a Philadelphia Department of Recreation tennis court near you)
More Great Resources
SmallStep.gov - Get great ideas from the Department of Health and Human Services about making exercise a part of your daily routine.
Be Active Your Way - More great advice on how you can fit physical activity into your life. Decide the number of days, types of activities, and times that fit your schedule.
Tips to Help You Get Active - There’s always a reason not to exercise. We’re all busy. We’re all tired. This link has a lot of great ideas to get you around those roadblocks.
Courier-Times Blogs - Jo Ciavaglia - The Bucks County Courier-Times Health writer provides great tips on keeping fit and more.
Snapshots from the Kitchen Table - Kaiser Family Foundation - Snapshots from the Kitchen Table, which tells a common story through the voices of 27 working Americans in six different cities: Family budgets are tight, health care costs are a major concern, and the economic downturn has made things a whole lot worse. This information provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
