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Every Day Is Physical Activity Day
by Grace T. DeSimone, B.A., ACSM-CPT, ACSM-GEI
ooking for opportunities to squeeze more physical activ-
L ity into your busy lifestyle? The second edition of The
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services states that regular physical
activity is one of the most important things that we can do to im-
prove our health, prevent chronic disease, improve brain health,
improve sleep quality, and reduce the risk of anxiety and depres-
sion. Let’s look at the guidelines and some practical ways you
can apply them to your life.
✓Adults should move more and sit less throughout
the day. Any physical activity can aid in offsetting the risks of
chronic disease. Replacing sitting with anything active is likely
to produce some health benefits.
-Intentionally store regularly used household items out of
the way. Snacks, for example, can be stored downstairs, paper
towels are a walk to the garage.
-Not having ice cream in the house means that if you want it,
you have to make a trip to go out and enjoy that single serving.
-Try an activity tracker. Most smart phones offer some form
of tracking (steps or movement). Being conscious of how much
you move or do not move is the first step in achieving progress.
-Walk or use mass transit instead of driving. You will be sur-
prised how much activity you gain and how much money you
will save.
-Head to a mall or grab a cart and go food shopping instead
of ordering online.
✓Any activity counts. Physical activity means just that —
move your body.
-Focus on what you do. Often we focus on what we do not
do and that leads to negative thought cycles. Start with a plan of
how you will add movement into each day.
-Replace sitting with standing when possible.
-If you cannot stand, move while you sit. You can march while
seated, for example.
-Make a virtual activity call with a friend. Decide on a time
to chat while you both walk.
-Listen to audio books or podcasts while you walk, ride a
stationary bike, or do chores.
-Choose the stairs. Make this a pact with loved ones or
colleagues.
✓Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-
to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefit.
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Surprise yourself with what you can accomplish in
30 seconds.
-Try a standing desk.
-Take your colleague for a walk to brainstorm instead of sit-
ting in a conference room.
-Be a movement champion — make standing and mov-
ing during meetings a workplace mission. Adding in simple,
short duration movements to your day will count toward your
activity goal, for example, push-ups against a wall or kitchen
counter, squatting to a chair and standing up, and knee lifts
between phone calls.
✓For substantial health benefits, adults should
do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to
300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity,
or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes
(2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity
aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination
of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread through-
out the week. Intensity is relative to each individual. Generally,
if you can carry on a conversation during activity, it is considered
moderate; if you need to catch your breath between sentences, it
is more vigorous; if you can only gasp a few breathy words, it is
very intense.
-The easiest way to conquer this recommendation is to choose
activities you enjoy and make them a part of your weekly schedule.
-Social support is a key ingredient to movement success. Engage
a friend or loved one in your activities. Make activity dates. Many
activity trackers offer challenges you can do with friends.
-Try a new activity — golf, swimming, dancing, yoga, bird
watching, or aquatic exercise.
-Make it a family activity. A brisk walk before or after dinner or
a game of hide and seek with little ones can add up to a fun habit.
-Binge-watching TV? Put a stationary bike, personal rebounder
(mini-trampoline), rower, treadmill, or other equipment in front
of your screen. You also can march in place while watching your
favorite shows.
✓Additional health benefits are gained by engag-
ing in physical activity beyond the equivalent of
300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical
activity a week.
-A scheduled 45-minute walk each day plus extra opportu-
nities to move and you can meet this easily.
www.acsm-healthfitness.org 3
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Sidebar: Stay Active on Vacation
 On a cruise? Never take the elevator.
 Visiting a new city? Take a walking tour.
 Communing with the outdoors? Try trail walking.
 Sports buff? Try a golf vacation, ski vacation, or learning
to surf or paddle board.
 Zoos, water parks, and similar attractions require lots of
movement — and make a lot of great memories.
-Realize those times when you are doing more activity and
try and replicate it.
✓Adults also should do muscle-strengthening
activities of moderate or greater intensity and that
involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a
week, as these activities provide additional health
benefits. Adding in strength activities adds so much value to
how you feel and how well you function each day. Lifting your
kids, pets, groceries, or aiding loved ones is a major part of life,
and having the ability to continue to perform those functions
builds confidence and independence and will count toward your
weekly movement goals.
-Use your big box shopping time to practice some heavy
lifting. For example, a carton of 24 (16.9 oz) water bottles weighs
4 ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal ®
about 28 lbs. Carry those around the store or around your house
and you will quickly realize how important strength is.
-Having a strength program prescribed by an ACSM certified
personal trainer is ideal. Meet with the trainer regularly for motiva-
tion and form checks or intermittently for program updates.
-Join a community center or gym and learn a quick circuit
of exercises you can do in 30 minutes.
-Try resistance bands at home to add weight/load to exercises.
-The basics are still great. Push-ups, squats, lunges, planks,
and triceps dips are great examples of body weight exercises that
build strength.
-If you ever tried to pull a stubborn weed or move a shrub,
you understand that heavy gardening builds strength.
Every moving minute counts toward making deposits in your
activity account. Get moving for life.
Grace T. DeSimone, B.A., ACSM-CPT, ACSM-GEI, is the national group
fitness director for Optum. She and her group fitness teams manage group
exercise classes in worksite wellness programs across the country. She is the editor
for ACSM’s Resource Manual for Group Exercise Instructors (2011)
and is the 2016 IDEA Health & Fitness Association Program Director of the
Year. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance from Hunter College, City Uni-
versity of New York, in New York, NY, and is an ACSM Certified Group Exercise
Instructor® and an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer®.
September/October 2019