Written By: Adesh Bassi, Aram Gasparian, and Chanelle Romero from KIN330 Exercise and Health Promotion (taught by Dr. Sarah Camhi Kinesiology Department)
Fall 2021
What is physical activity?
Physical activity can be any bodily movement, like walking, cycling for transportation, work, and even leisure activities like gardening.
How much physical activity should I get?
The Federal Physical Activity Guidelines recommends getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity (ie., brisk walking; where you are breathing hard but can still carry on a conversation). Or you can get the same benefits in half the time by doing 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity aerobic activity (i.e., running; where you are breathing harder and can only say a few words without taking a breath) [1]. Also, muscle-strengthening activities should also be included at least two days per week which are activities that make your muscles work harder than usual [1].
Why should I be physically active?
Physical activity can bring about physical and mental benefits; for example, it lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, variations of cancer, and several types of diseases. Additional mental benefits which are essential for college students include improved cognition & memory, attention, and processing speed, fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, a better quality of life, and a sense of overall well-being [2].
What is the best way to increase my physical activity?
Here are 4 ways to help you get more activity into your day:
- If you are someone who is busy or has difficulty making time to exercise you can try spreading out physical activity throughout your day. It can be something as simple as getting off a bus stop early to walk, parking further away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking a 5-minute stretch break between classes. Each minute of moderate to vigorous intensity activity counts! We encourage you to try to incorporate an extra 5 minutes of movement into your day!
- This week’s theme is “try something new”! Here are some suggestions to get your started: learn a new skill like skateboarding, try a new class at Koret, explore a new hiking trail, or walk your normal route backwards. Do something “new” to refresh both your mind and body!
- Find someone to workout with! Working out with friends or family can improve motivation, consistency, and accountability [3]. So, grab a friend, classmate, professor and get moving!
- Visit Koret Health and Recreation Center to get started! Utilize their aerobic (Picture 1) and muscle-strengthening equipment (Picture 2) or talk to the staff to get advice.
Picture 1: Koret Health and Recreation Center’s equipment used for aerobic physical activity.
Picture 2: Koret Health and Recreation Center’s equipment used for muscle-strengthening physical activity.
References
- USDHHS. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. [Internet] 2018 [cited 2021 October 8th]; Available from: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/.
- AHA. (1995). American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids. American Heart Association. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
- Tuso P. (2015). Strategies to increase physical activity. The Permanente journal, 19(4), 84–88. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/14-242
Images: University of San Francisco. (n.d.). Koret – Faculty and Staff. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://myusf.usfca.edu/koret/faculty-staff; University of San Francisco. (2021). Koret – Fitness. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://www.usfca.edu/koret/fitness; University of San Francisco. (n.d.). HPS – Nutrition & Exercise. Retrieved October 8, 2021, from https://myusf.usfca.edu/hps/nutrition-exercise
