Kingston Activities for Adults | Kingston Gets Active

Fitness Tips!

How you can get fit today!

Did you know that mothers/women have a higher impact than a man/father on whether a child is active?

Borrow a pedometer (a little gizmo counts how many steps you take) and see how much territory you actually cover in a few days!

Sources of energy are carbohydrates, fats, protein, alcohol

Park your car 2 intersections from your destination. That way you get a few more minutes of activity and fresh air when you do your errands or go to work.

Have you timed how long it takes to walk around your block? Time one trip around, then time 2 trips around, then see if you can take a few seconds off every time you go for a walk

Pilates is a common way to start to improve your fitness, along with walking. Sign up for a Pilates class.

Set a good example for your kids!

Speak positively about play and physical activity, and your attitude will rub off on your family members

What's the hardest part of physical activity? Getting out the door!

Take the stairs at every opportunity

New activities grow if there is someone to get behind them. At your workplace, take turns by the week being the champion or cheerleader for physical activity.

Have you tried line dancing? It’s fun!

check out the websites below for great ideas on how to get active and continue to be physically active:

Explore this site to learn how to run, throw, think and eat better. www.smallstep.gov

Explore this site to help you separate heathy fact from fiction. Check out a list of small steps and find out what might work for you.

Check out Canada’s Physical Activity Guide

Be Sure to Warm-up! The purpose of the warm-up is to prepare your body for the game or training session to follow. It is not about training any particular component of fitness. Many players and coaches go through a complete stretching routine prior to their activity as if the purpose of the warm-up was to improve flexibility. It isn’t, and in fact some researchers argue that static slow stretching prior to dynamic-ballistic activities like soccer will increase the chances of injury.

Visit your nearest library, and borrow a PEDOMETER at the check-out desk. PEDOMETERS available at Calvin Park, Central, Kingscourt, Pittsburgh, and Turner Branches of the KFPL. Keep track of your steps for a week. Borrow the PEDOMETER again after the snow is gone, wear it for a week, and see how much more ACTIVE you are! Get ACTIVE.

To get the most from your workout, you should frequently monitor your exercise intensity. This will make sure you maximize your exercise benefits without overworking your heart. For most healthy people, the recommended target heart rate is a range between 50% to 75% of their maximum heart rate. To calculate your maximum heart rate, take 220 and subtract your age to get the number of beats per minute (bpm). To measure your heart rate, count the number of heart beats (pulse) for 10 seconds using your watch, and then multiple by six to get your bpm. But remember--everyone is different! You should be able to carry on a conversation during your workout. If you are breathless, or can’t talk, you’re working too hard. Slow down to a more comfortable intensity.

Adults

How you can get active!

There are many ways to get active! For maximum health benefits, it is recommended that adults aged 18-64 should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more (Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults- 18-64 years).

Moderate-intensity activities will make you sweat a little and breathe harder. Some examples include: brisk walking and bike riding.

Vigorous-intensity activities will make you sweat and be ‘out of breath’. Examples include: jogging, swimming and cross-country skiing.

Strength: at least 2 days per week

These types of activities cause the muscles to contract against resistance and pull on bone, which helps to build strong muscles and bones. Some examples include: swimming, activities that use body weight such as yoga, rowing, and strength training.

The following are simply examples of activities that adults enjoy participating in, but activities appropriate for adults are not limited to the ones listed below. Some adults run marathons, while others find a 15 minute walk a challenge. Everyone has a different level of fitness, so participate in what you feel comfortable in and enjoy doing!