Group Savings & Retirement
Someday starts here
The benefits of
physical
activity
Plan for life
Hello.
Physical activity, like saving for retirement,
can seem like a huge undertaking, but the great
thing about both is that even small amounts
can really make a difference over time.
Physical activity does not always mean performing exercise or
practicing a sport. In fact, people who are working physically or
are carrying out manual chores are performing physical activities.
For instance, raking leaves, active gardening, mopping the floor,
vacuuming and washing windows are physical activities. In a work
environment, tasks such as carrying material, digging, construction
work, painting with a roller and many others also count. Some of
these activities require physical effort and endurance (strength),
while others involve flexibility. All are beneficial to your health.
It’s easy to blend some physical
activities into your daily routine:
Active commuting is one simple way: walk, cycle
or in-line-skate to your workplace.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
Park a few blocks further than usual and walk
to work.
Use some of your lunch period to exercise
and stretch.
What are the advantages of physical activity?
• Helps maintain and increase muscle
strength, improve balance, overall
co-ordination, reaction time and
flexibility. Some physical activities
even improve mental concentration.
• Prevents muscle decay. Inactive
people lose muscle fibre at a rate of
3% to 5% every decade after age 30.
This amounts to a loss of 30% of
muscle fibre by age 60.
• Increases tolerance to stress,
improves mood and reduces
the risk of depression and anxiety.
• Improves self-esteem and
self-confidence and may even
contribute to widening one’s social
circle.
• Increases resistance to diseases by
bolstering the immune system.
• Reduces the incidence of illnesses
such as coronary heart disease,
hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes
(non-insulin-dependent) and
osteoporosis.
• Research suggests that regular
physical activity can reduce the risk of
colon cancer by as much as 50% and
may also considerably reduce the risk
for breast cancer.
• Combined with healthy nutrition,
regular physical activity is one of
the most efficient and safe ways to
maintain a healthy weight.
• Relieves symptoms of osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis and may
reduce the need for medication.
• Helps control hypertension, high
blood cholesterol and diabetes.
• Reduces the risk of accidental injury
and shortens the recovery period
from accident and illness.
• Finally, physical activity increases
longevity and improves quality of
life overall.
Myths associated with physical activity
You must exercise intensively
to benefit.
After age 40, there is no point
in exercising.
False: Moderate physical exercise is
more beneficial for the cardiovascular
system than very intense exercise.
False: In fact, this is when it may be
critical to be active in order to reduce
risks associated with aging. However,
before beginning a physical activity,
individuals who are over age 40 or
obese should consult with a health
professional.
You must go to the gym.
False: Walking at a good pace is one of
the most beneficial exercises.
Exercising until it hurts or
you are exhausted is the most
beneficial.
False: Pain is a warning signal. To
prevent injury, stop if you feel pain or
are exhausted.
Exercise is good under any
weather conditions.
False: Strenuous physical activity in
extremely hot or cold weather conditions
are harmful and can even be fatal.
How much physical activity is necessary?
To stay healthy, you should aim to
exercise between four and seven days
each week:
• 30 to 60 minutes of moderate or
• 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous physical
activity, or
• at least 60 minutes of low intensity
activity
The total amount of time may be
broken down in periods of not less than
10 minutes each. However, the longer
the period of physical activity, the more
beneficial it is to your health.
For full health benefits, your physical
activity should develop all dimensions
of fitness – endurance, flexibility and
strength.
Physical activity requires “energy” from
your body. This energy is also called
calories. Very intense activities burn more
calories in a shorter time span than low
intensity activities.
Balancing your energy intake from
nutrition with the energy you use
to perform your daily activities is
important in maintaining a healthy
weight. Your body stores excess calories
as fat and this results in additional body
weight. If your level of physical activity
is reduced for prolonged periods of
time, your nutrition should also be
adjusted to avoid a BIG surprise!
Low intensity activities
(4 calories or less per minute)
Walking at a normal pace, washing
windows, social dancing, vacuuming,
stretching exercises, Tai Chi, bowling,
yoga.
Moderate intensity activities
(4 to 8 calories per minute)
Brisk walking, cross-country skiing
on flat terrain, downhill skiing
(non-competitive), biking at 15 km
per hour, swimming (continuous)
with average effort, active gardening,
shovelling snow, raking leaves, golfing
(with no electric cart), low impact aerobic
dancing, ballet jazz and folkloric dancing.
Intense activities
(8 to 12 calories per minute)
Hiking with a back pack (5 kilos),
cross-country skiing on an intermediate or
expert trail (or vigorously on flat ground),
biking at 20 km per hour, off-road biking
on an intermediate trail, racket sports
(tennis, badminton, racquetball, squash),
vigorous swimming, jogging (8 km
per hour), high-impact aerobic dancing,
gymnastics, rope jumping, martial arts.
Very intense activities
(12 calories or more per minute)
Soccer, water polo, squash, off-road
biking on an expert trail requiring steep
climbing, skipping rope.
Exercising can be easy. Fifteen minutes here,
ten minutes there...
and there you go, you did it!
Being inactive is a vicious cycle
Apparently, many Canadians still ignore the benefits of regular physical
activity and the risks of a sedentary lifestyle. Approximately 64% of the
Canadian population is not sufficiently physically active. The good news is that
as soon as you make the first step to get off that couch, you start feeling the
benefits very quickly and you will probably develop a taste for more!
Becoming active safely
That’s it! You’ve been thinking about it for a while, but now you’ve made
your decision. You’re going to get up and do it!
This is great and it may be one of the
most important decisions you have ever
made for your well-being. However,
becoming physically active after a long
period of inactivity can be risky. Just
as though you were putting the old
convertible back on the road after a
long period in storage, it’s important
for your own safety to take a few
precautions before going full throttle.
Consult your physician – You should
discuss your plans with your physician if
you have been inactive for 12 months or
longer, especially if you’re over age 40.
Regardless of your age, consulting your
physician prior to engaging in physical
training is important if you are obese,
if you have occasional chest pains or if
you have health problems.
Stretching – If you haven’t been active
for a while, consider stretching sessions
supervised by a qualified instructor as a
first step. Activities such as beginner’s
yoga, Tai Chi and social dancing are also
good choices.
Start gradually – Begin with activities
that are not strenuous, such as walking
or cycling, and perform them at a slow
or moderate pace. Gradually increase
the duration and/or intensity over
several weeks.
Strength and “cardio” training –
Activities like aerobics, treadmill,
weightlifting, and running, represent a
high risk of injury or even heart attack
if you’ve been inactive for a while. It’s
essential for your own safety to obtain
medical clearance in advance and to
get a program that is calibrated by a
qualified instructor. Before starting
each session, warm-ups and stretching
reduce the risk of injury.
Beware of social leagues – Some
activities performed in social leagues
such as softball or hockey represent a
high risk for an unfit individual because
these activities are competitive and may
be intense. They should, therefore, be
approached with caution if you’re unfit
or inactive.
Becoming active can be easy
Even a mild increase in your physical activity level will provide some
health benefits. The benefits are most pronounced if you were
physically inactive or not very active before.
Accumulating 30 minutes of moderate
physical activity most days of the week
is a good target although, ideally, adults
should aim for 30 to 60 minutes daily.
The total amount of physical activity
may be broken down into periods of no
less than 10 minutes each. The longer
the period, the more beneficial it is to
your health.
Easy does it! The transition from
physical inactivity to being active must
be gradual.
To reduce the risk of injury, take time
to warm up and stretch your muscles
gradually before engaging at full
throttle!
Never continue an activity or exercise if
you feel persistent or severe muscle or
joint pain, chest pain or if you become
exhausted. If pain persists or if you
experience chest pain, you should
consult a physician.
Retirement
Investments
Insurance
Talk soon.
To find out more about the benefits of physical activity,
visit Standard Life’s Health & Wellness Centre at
www.standardlife.ca
The information in this brochure was provided to The Standard Life Assurance Company of
Canada by Innovaction Canada Inc. and Groupe Prosanté and may also be found in the
Health and Wellness Centre on Standard LIfe’s website.
The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada
Standard Life Assurance Limited
GE11212-01-2007 GS