1、This Document is Copyright Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 1 of 6Active at Any SizeActive at Any SizeDo you feel that you can barely do any activity at all? That you cant exercise, play sports, or become more fit?If you are a very large person, you can still be physically activeVery larg
2、e people face special challenges in trying to be active. You may not be able to bend or move in the same way that other people can. It may be hard to find clothes and equipment for exercising. You may feel self-conscious being active around other people.Facing these challenges is hardbut it can be d
3、one! This booklet can help you start being more active and healthierno matter what your size!Why should I be active?Being active helps you live longer and protects you from: diabetes heart disease and stroke high blood pressure osteoporosis (a disease leading to weak bones that can break easily) ost
4、eoarthritis (wearing away of the tissue that protects the joints). If you have one of these problems, being active may help control the problem.Regular physical activity helps you feel better because it: improves your self-image lowers your stress boosts your mood gives you more energy helps you mov
5、e with more graceand confidence helps you fall asleep at night and sleep well increases your strength. Being active can be big fun!This Document is Copyright Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 2 of 6How do I get started?Appreciate Yourself!If you cant do an activity, dont be hard on yoursel
6、f. Feel good about what you can do. Be proud of pushing yourself up out of a chair or walking a short distance.Pat yourself on the back for trying even if you cant do it the first time. It may be easier the next time!To start being more active and keep at it: Start slowly. Your body needs time to ge
7、t used to your new activity. Warm up. Warm-ups get your body ready for action. Shrug your shoulders, tap your toes, swing your arms, or march in place. You should spend a few minutes warming up for any activityeven walking. Cool down. Slow down little by little. If you have been walking fast, walk s
8、lower to cool down. Or stretch for a few minutes. Cooling down may protect your heart, relax your muscles, and keep you from getting hurt. Set goals. Set short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal may be to walk 5 minutes at least 3 days for 1 week. A long-term goal may be to walk 30 minutes
9、most days of the week by the end of 6 months. Track progress. Keep a diary of your activity. You may not feel like you are making progress but when you look back at where you started, you may be pleasantly surprised! Fit activity into your daily life. Plan ahead and try to be active when it works be
10、st for you. Get support. Get a family member or friend to be active with you. It may be more fun, and an exercise companion can cheer you on. Have fun! Try different activities to find the ones you really enjoy. What physical activities can a very large person do?Do I need to see my doctor before I
11、start exercising?You should see your doctor if:you have not been active for yearsyou are active now and are changing from a moderate to a more intense activityyou have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressureyou have arthritis or an injury (like a knee injury).You can do: sports planned exerc
12、ise household chores yard work or gardening social activities (like dancing). Exercise or physical activity does not have to be hard or boring to be good for you. Anything that gets you moving aroundeven for only a few minutes a dayis a healthy start to getting more fit.Most very large people can do
13、 some or all of the activities in this booklet. You dont need special skills or a lot of equipment.This booklet describes both weightbearing and non-weightbearing activities. Weightbearing activities, like walking, bowling, and golfing involve lifting or pushing your own body weight. Non-weightbeari
14、ng activities, like swimming, put less stress on your joints because you dont have to lift or push your own weight. If your feet or joints hurt when you stand, non-weightbearing activities may be best for you.This Document is Copyright Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 3 of 6Gentle activit
15、y is healthy.You dont have to push yourself to benefit from physical activity. Thirty minutes of gentle activity (like walking) can be just as healthy as 15 minutes of intense activity (like fast dancing).Where to exercise.You can do many activities in your home. But there are other fun ways to be a
16、ctive in health clubs, in recreation centres, or outdoors.It may be hard to be active around other people. Keep in mind that you have just as much right to be healthy and active as anyone else.Walking (weightbearing) The walking that you do during the day (like doing chores around the house or in th
17、e yard) can help you be fitter. But regular, steady walking that makes you breathe heavier can help you to be healthier. It will give your heart and lungsas well as your leg musclesa good workout.If you are not active now, start slowly. Try to walk 5 minutes a day for the first week. Walk 8 minutes
18、the next week. Stay at 8minute walks until you feel comfortable. Then increase your walks to 11 minutes. Slowly lengthen each walk by 3 minutesor walk faster.Tips for walking: Stand up straight, lift your rib cage, and look straight ahead (but keep your shoulders relaxed). This will let your spine c
19、urve in a natural, healthy position. Swing your arms and move at a steady pace. This will also help keep your fingers from swelling. Wear comfortable walking shoes with a lot of support. If you walk often, you may need to buy new shoes every 6 to 8 months. Make walking fun. Walk with a friend or pet
20、. Walk in places you enjoy, like a park or country path or beach. Dancing (weightbearing or non-weightbearing) Dancing helps: tone your muscles improve your flexibility make your heart stronger make your lungs work better. You can dance in a health club, in a nightclub, or at home.To dance at home,
21、just move your body to some livelymusic! Dancing on your feet is a weightbearing activity. DancingWhile seated lets you move your arms and legs to music while taking the weight off your feet. This may be a good choice if you cant stand on your feet very long.Water Workouts (non-weightbearing)Exercis
22、ing in water helps you feel:Flexible. You can bend and move your body in water in ways you cant on land. Strong. Working against the water will help your body get stronger.At less risk of injury. Water makes your body float. This keeps your joints from being pounded or jarred and helps prevent sore
23、muscles and injury.Refreshed. You can keep cooler in watereven when you are working hard.This Document is Copyright Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 4 of 6Weight training rule of thumb.If you cant do an exercise 8 times in a row, your weights are too heavy. If it is easy to do it 12 times
24、 in a row, your weights are too light.You dont need to know how to swim to work out in wateryou can do shallow-water or deep-water exercises without swimming.For shallow-water exercise, the water level should be between your waist and your chest. If the water is too shallow, it will be hard to move
25、your arms underwater. If the water is deeper than chest height, it will be hard to keep your feet touching the pool bottom. For deep-water exercise, most of your body is underwater. This means that your whole body will get a good workout. For safety and comfort, wear a foam belt or life jacket.Many
26、swim centres offer classes in water workouts. Check with the ones in your area to find the best water workout for you.Weight Training (weightbearing or non-weightbearing) Weight training builds strong muscles and bones. You can weight train at home or at a fitness centre.You dont need benches or bar
27、s to begin weighttraining at home. You can use a pair of hand weightsor even two soup cans.Make sure you know the correct posture and that yourmovements are slow and controlled.Before you buy a home gym, check its weight rating(the number of pounds or kilos it can support) to makesure it is safe for
28、 your size. If you want to join a fitness centre where you can use weights, shop around for onewhere you feel at ease.Bicycling (non-weightbearing)You can bicycle indoors on an exercise bike, or outdoors on a road bike. Biking does not stress any one part of the bodyyour weight is spread between you
29、r arms, back, and hips.You may want to use a recumbent bike. On this type of bike, you sit low to the ground with your legs reaching forward to the pedals. This may feel better than sitting upright. The seat on a recumbent bike is also wider than the seat on an upright bike.This Document is Copyrigh
30、t Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 5 of 6Questions to ask when choosing a fitness centre.Can the treadmills or benches support people who are large?Do the fitness staff know how to work with people of larger sizes?Can I take time to see how I like the centre before I sign up? Is the aim t
31、o have fun and get healthynot to lose weight?Applaud yourself!If you can do only a few or none of these activities, its OK. Remember to appreciate what you can do, even if you think its a small amount. For biking outdoors, you may want to try a mountain bike. These bikes have wider tyres and are hea
32、vy. You can also buy a larger seat to put on your bike.Make sure the bike you buy has a weight rating that is greater than your own weight. Photograph courtesy of Bicycles by Haluzak, Santa Rosa, CA, United StatesStretching (weightbearing or non-weightbearing)Stretching helps: make you more flexible
33、 (to help keep you from getting hurt) make you feel relaxed improve your blood flow keep your muscles from getting tight after doing other exercises. You dont have to set aside a special time or place to stretch. At home or at work, stand up, push your arms toward the ceiling, and stretch. Stretch s
34、lowly and only enough to feel tightnessnot until you feel pain. Hold the stretch, without bouncing, for about 30 seconds. Dont stretch cold muscles.Yoga and tai chi are types of stretching. They help you breathe deeply, relax, and get rid of stress.Your local fitness centre may offer yoga, tai chi,
35、or other stretching classes.You may want to start with “gentle” classes, like those aimed at seniors.This Document is Copyright Free to Encourage Maximum Distribution Page 6 of 6Just moving any part of your bodyeven for a short timecan make you healthier.Safety Tips Drink plenty of water.Water helps
36、 every cell and organ in your body work. It cushions your joints, improves your bowel patterns, and keeps your body cool.Reformatted and amended using information provided by COMA/SACN, part of the Food Standards Agency, United Kingdom Department of Health and WIN, part of the National Institutes of
37、 Health, United States Public Health Service.Special thanks to the Women of Substance Health Spa for providing many of the photographs in this brochure.Lifestyle ActivitiesYour activities do not have to be planned. You can make small day-to-day changes to improve your health. For example, Take 2- to
38、 3-minute walking breaks at work a few times a day. Put away the TV remote controlget up to change the channel. Get up and stretch during TV commercials. Sit in a rocking chair and push off the floor with your feet. Walk the dog. Walk while you talk on a cordless phone. Take the stairs instead of th
39、e lift or escalator. Doing chores like lawn mowing, leaf raking, gardening, and housework can also improve your health.Try these tips to exercise safely. Stop exercising right away if you: have pain or pressure in the left-chest or mid-chest areaor left neck, shoulder, or arm feel dizzy or sick brea
40、k out in a cold sweat have muscle cramps feel pain in your joints, feet, ankles, or legs. You could hurt yourself if you ignore the pain.(Ask your doctor what to do if you have any of these symptoms.) Slow down if out of breath. You should be able to talk while exercising without gasping for breath.
41、 Drink lots of water before, during, and after exercise (even water workouts) to replace the water you lose by sweating. Do not do hard exercise for 2 hours after a big meal (but a 5- to 10-minute walk is OK). If you eat small meals, you can exercise more often. Wear the right clothes: Wear lightwei
42、ght, loose-fitting tops so you can move easily. Women should wear a good support bra. Wear supportive athletic shoes for weight-bearing activities. Wear clothes made of fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin. Never wear rubber or plastic suits. These could hold the sweat on your skin
43、 and make your body overheat. Wear a knit hat to keep you warm when you exercise outdoors in cold weather. Wear a baseball cap in hot weather to help keep you cool. Wear sunscreen when you exercise outdoors. Cover all areas of exposed skin whenever outdoors.Healthy, fit bodies come in all sizes. Whatever your size or shape, start exercising now and keep moving for a healthier life!
