Start Where You Are SIMPLE STEPS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STEP 1

Transcription

1 Start Where You Are SIMPLE STEPS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STEP 1

2 INTRODUCTION Simple Steps for Physical Activity This brochure is the first in a three-part series designed to help you become motivated to get and stay more active than you are right now. Because that s really the key: moving more. Research shows that the more we move, the more we lower our risk for many types of cancer. But this same research shows that it s not simply about running marathons or enduring grueling exercise sessions. In fact, anticancer protection starts to kick in with very modest amounts of activity as long as you make it an everyday part of your life. When it comes to cancer risk, inactivity is the real enemy. STEP STEP This first brochure, Start Where You Are, will help you determine your level of physical activity right now. It will show you how to fit small amounts of activity into your day to boost your body s defenses against cancer and other chronic diseases. Once you ve mastered the techniques in Step 1, you ll be ready for Step 2: Keep It Up. This brochure shows you how to monitor your progress as you slowly increase the intensity and duration of your physical activity. STEP Mix It Up is the final brochure in the series. You ll get ideas for keeping your activities enjoyable and exciting while they also keep challenging your body in ways that will pay off with good health down the road. 2

3 Taking Simple Steps to Prevent Cancer F inding time for physical activity in our busy lives can seem too difficult. But consider this: Americans spend nearly 3 hours a day watching TV. If you sit for long periods at a desk job, for example evidence suggests you may be at a higher risk for cancer. But getting up and moving around even for a few minutes every hour can make a difference for preventing cancer and other diseases. AICR s expert report and its Continuous Update Project state that diet and lifestyle choices play a very important role in the prevention of cancer. Although being sedentary can increase cancer risk and extra body weight (a separate risk for cancer), getting at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day along with eating a healthy diet can reduce your chances of developing cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. Right now, government reports show that only 48 percent of American adults get two and a half hours per week of physical activity, which is the minimum government recommendation for good health. At the same time 69 percent of American adults are overweight or obese. By burning extra calories, physical activity is crucial to managing weight. No matter what the source of calories carbohydrates, proteins, fats, sugar or alcohol any calories you don t burn are stored as fat. Along with 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity, AICR advises eating mostly plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and 1

4 beans. These foods are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and cancerpreventing phytochemicals. With enough physical activity each day and a healthy diet, your body will be able to use the calories it takes in and store only as much fat as you need for good health. What is physical activity? Physical activity is any movement using skeletal muscles. Light physical activity includes standing, walking around an office or home and shopping. Recreation time may involve moderate physical activity, like a brisk walk, or vigorous physical activity, such as running. Exercise and other forms of physical training are types of recreational physical activity. Being active for at least 30 minutes a day is one of AICR s recommendations for cancer prevention. Avoiding inactivity by moving for a few minutes every hour during the day is also key to reducing your risk for cancer. Active can mean doing housework or yard work things that keep you moving throughout your day. To get recommended amounts of activity, most people need to set aside time for daily activity, such as walking, jogging, biking, hiking, swimming, weight training or other movement. Simple Ways to Be More Physically Active 2

5 It s easier than you think to find more time and more ways to be physically active each day: 1. Physical activity can be low-cost or free. You don t have to join a gym or buy equipment. A pair of supportive rubber-soled shoes from a discount store or an exercise DVD shouldn t cost more than $25. That s far less than becoming ill and needing expensive medications and treatments that activity could prevent. 2. Do it when you want to. Research shows that breaking up the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity into 10 or 15 minute sessions provides the same health benefits. Give yourself a break from sedentary tasks every hour or two with a brisk walk. 3. Be active by yourself or with others. Your physical activity can be your own time alone or you may get more motivated by joining a class or exercising with a buddy. 4. Go at your own pace. Start at a pace that is right for you and gradually make it more vigorous or add 5 minutes to your workout time each week. Even if you miss a day, don t give up. Just refocus on taking care of yourself and get back to it. Maybe trying something different or a different time of day will work better. 5. Enlist social support. Support from others is important to help you meet your physical activity goals. Let people know that your daily physical activity session is an essential part of your day. DID YOU KNOW? PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAN: lower blood pressure strengthen bones lower cholesterol control blood sugar decrease stress increase brain function improve circulation These benefits lead to protection from cancer, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, dementia and arthritis. 3

6 What s the Cancer Link? P hysical activity lowers risk of colon cancer and probably reduces risk for postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancers. There is limited evidence that it lowers risk of lung, pancreatic and premenopausal breast cancer as well. Physical activity can help keep levels of hormones normal and reduce inflammation in the body. It also can boost your immune system function, making cells better able to fight off disease. And it helps food move through the gut, so cells there are exposed for less time to potentially cancer-causing substances. But physical activity also burns calories that prevent gaining extra weight, the most important way you can reduce your cancer risk (after not smoking). For more information, visit 4

7 Are You Ready? For anyone, some activity is better than none. Physical activity is safe for almost everyone. In fact, being fit from physical activity makes you less prone to injury. You do not need to consult a health care provider about being physically active unless you: are diagnosed with a chronic condition such as heart disease or diabetes have symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain or pressure Getting Started Set goals. Setting goals, even small ones, is a crucial part of starting physical activity and sticking to it. One tool for setting and achieving goals is called SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Ask yourself what physical activity you will do, for how long, how vigorously, where and when. To find a routine that works well, keep a daily log that records these details, then adjust as needed. Warm up and cool down. Before beginning any physical activity, it is important to limber up so your heart and other muscles aren t overstressed. You can do this by going for a brisk 5 10 minute walk or by doing jumping jacks or low-impact aerobic moves or marching in place for 1 2 minutes. Play some lively music to get in the mood. At the end of the activity session, keep moving more gently for a few minutes to lower your heart rate gradually. 5

8 Three Types of Physical Activity 1. Aerobic endurance activities increase your heart rate and improve your circulation. Aerobic activities such as brisk walking, jogging, biking, hiking, dancing or swimming are the kind of activities that most studies on cancer prevention show as beneficial. 2. Strengthening exercises can increase your bone density as well as your muscles strength. You can buy inexpensive hand-held weights or resistance bands and get a beginner s DVD that instructs you on the proper way to lift weights or use rubber resistance bands. Or use your own body s weight by doing sit-ups for your abdominal muscles and push-ups for your arm muscles. 3. Flexibility exercises can be done any time. Simply bend and touch your toes from a standing or seated position or reach high above your head and alternate reaches as if you were climbing a ladder. These moves can help to lengthen your muscles and keep them supple. It s never too late to get moving for better health and lower cancer risk. 6

9 EASY ACTIVITY BOOSTERS Take the stairs instead of the elevator. When shopping, park the car or get off the bus farther away from the store so you can walk farther to shops. Park far enough from your office to walk for 10 or 15 minutes. In the yard, rake leaves instead of using a leaf blower, mow the lawn with a push mower and do your own planting, weeding and pruning. At home, clear clutter once a week, straightening your garage, attic and closets. Do housework like vacuuming, scrubbing, sweeping or dusting to lively music. Even standing instead of sitting burns 1.5 calories per minute compared to 1 calorie per minute. Brisk walking expends about 5 calories per minute. Walk down the hallway at work to deliver messages instead of ing. Have walking meetings. Take frequent breaks from your computer to walk, stretch or do simple strength exercises with 2 5 pound hand weights. Set an alarm to go off every hour or so, reminding you to get up for an activity break. Walk your dog instead of letting the dog out into the yard. More exercise helps pets, too! Wash the car yourself instead of taking it to the car wash. Pace back and forth when waiting at a bus stop or talking on the phone. Instead of watching TV after dinner, walk with family members or friends or get kids to play an active game like Frisbee, tag or Simon Says. 7

10 Simple Ways to Avoid Inactivity Did you know that watching TV burns fewer calories than reading a book or writing a letter? Make TV watching better with these tips: Get up and move around during commercial breaks. Don t use a remote. Get up to change the channel or to put a DVD on pause. While watching, lift hand-held weights, do sit-ups or put the TV in front of a treadmill so you can work out while you watch. For snacks, try healthy raw veggies with low-fat dressing dip or fruit instead of chips and other high-calorie foods. When You re Being Physically Active Wear appropriate shoes. Look for rubber-soled shoes that have good arch support, are wide enough to move your toes a little while wearing absorbent socks and are well cushioned. They reduce stress on the bones and joints in your feet, knees, hips and spine and can prevent falling and injuries. Appropriate shoes can also help you keep a healthy posture with a straight back, head up and shoulders pulled back so you can breathe deeply. Make sure they lace or strap snugly. You may find an inexpensive pair at a discount store. Replace worn-out shoes. 8

11 Buy a step-counter (pedometer). Accurate pedometers cost $20 or less and work best when you walk at a moderate pace (at least three miles per hour or faster). They are small gadgets that clip to your clothing and sense each step you take. Counting your steps tells you how much you are walking so you can increase the number of steps. Set goals and track your progress. Start by resetting the pedometer to zero first thing in the morning. At the end of the day, see how many steps you ve taken. Add 100 steps (or more) the next day and try to maintain that number for the rest of the week. The following week, add another 1,000 steps (about 10 minutes) a day. (Note that 2,000 steps equals about 1 mile for an average-height person.) Once you are walking a few thousand steps a day, other kinds of exercise will be easier to do. Be safe outdoors. Wear sunscreen and take a bottle of water to stay hydrated. In cooler weather, wear layers you can remove if you get too warm. (Remove damp clothing as soon as you get home.) A hat keeps your head warm in cold weather and can protect you from the sun. Stay in well-lit populated places where pathways are clear and level. Take identification and let others know you re going out. Don t give up. If you missed a day or even a week of physical activity because of unusual circumstances, don t give up. Just refocus on your goals and get back to your routine, even if it s just a couple of 15-minute walks a day. Even smaller amounts of activity can slow the loss of fitness that happens after a week or two of no activity at all. 9

12 10 Additional Resources T he information in this booklet is about becoming physically active for cancer prevention. Eating a healthy diet, staying in shape and not smoking play a big part, too. Find out more in our other free brochures (up to 3 individual titles for free): 10 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk Eat Well Reach Your Healthy Weight Simple Steps: Mix It Up Simple Steps: Keep It Up Visit to download brochures or contact us: American Institute for Cancer Research 1759 R Street, NW, P.O. Box Washington, DC or call: or THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE MORE INFORMATION: America On the Move American Council on Exercise Get Fit workouts and videos. Go4Life National Institute on Aging This site features easy warm-up, strengthening, stretching and other exercises plus tips for safe and effective physical activity. A free print publication, Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging, is also available. Go4life.nia.nih.gov

13 Growing Stronger: Strength Training for Older Adults Developed by Tufts University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this exercise program focuses on older adults. The Walking Site Tells how to use a pedometer and calculate your steps. Contact your cancer center, yoga center with cancer-certified instructors, tai chi center, YMCA or county department of recreation. About AICR Our vision: We want to live in a world where no one develops a preventable cancer. Our mission: We champion the latest and most authoritative scientific research from around the world on cancer prevention and survival through diet, weight and physical activity, so that we can help people make informed lifestyle choices to reduce their cancer risk. We have contributed over $105 million for innovative research conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across the country. Find evidencebased tools and information for lowering cancer risk, including AICR s Recommendations for Cancer Prevention, at 11

14 About the Continuous Update Project As the U.S. charity in the World Cancer Research Fund network, we contribute to the Continuous Update Project (CUP), an ongoing analysis of global scientific research into the link between diet, physical activity, weight and cancer. The CUP produces periodic reports on the state of the evidence linking various lifestyle factors to risk of specific cancers. These reports will inform a major update of our Recommendations for Cancer Prevention scheduled for Editorial Review Committee Elisa V. Bandera, MD, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey; Rose Clifford, RDN, LD, MBA, Iona Senior Services; Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, Nutrition Consultant; John W. Erdman, Jr., PhD, University of Illinois; Shannon L. Mihalko, PhD, Wake Forest University; AICR executive staff. 12

15 AICR Guidelines for Cancer Prevention The choices you make about food, physical activity and weight management can reduce your chances of developing cancer. n Choose mostly plant foods, limit red meat and avoid processed meat. n Be physically active every day in any way for 30 minutes or more. n Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life. And always remember do not smoke or chew tobacco. You can support AICR s life-saving research and education efforts in a variety of ways: n make a donation online at n write to AICR, 1759 R Street, NW, P.O. Box 97167, Washington, DC ; or n include a bequest in your will. For more information, contact our Gift Planning Department at Copyright 2010 American Institute for Cancer Research Latest update, February 2015

16 AICRblog Cancer Prevention: Together We Can is an initiative of the American Institute for Cancer Research that is dedicated to presenting evidencebased, user-friendly and interactive tools that educate and empower people to reduce cancer risk. Visit can-prevent. E53-SW