Keeping physically active is one of the best things you can do for your health. Regular physical activity can help you:
feel better and have more energy
feel more relaxed and less stressed
improve your mood
improve your memory and attention span
sleep better
manage your weight
have better posture and balance
have stronger bones and muscles
prevent or manage many health conditions. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, many cancers, arthritis, anxiety and depression.
Be active every day
Everyone should do at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity activity spread throughout the week. One way to do this is to do 30 minutes most days of the week.
Moderate-intensity activity means your heart and breathing rate will increase but you should still be able to have a conversation. Moderate-intensity activities include walking briskly, swimming, cycling, dancing and gardening.
You do not need to join a gym or play a sport to be active. Try adding more activity into your daily routine by doing things like walking your dog, taking the stairs instead of the lift or walking your tamariki (children) to school. For more ideas, see Getting more activity into your day.
Being active for small amounts of time throughout the day is as effective as doing it in one go. So, if you cannot do 30 minutes in 1 go, try doing 2 lots of 15 minutes or 3 lots of 10 minutes.
Find activities you enjoy
You are more likely to stick with an activity you find fun and rewarding. No activity is better than another, so find what works best for you. You can search for a community exercise class or programme on the Active Southland or Sport Otago websites.
The information in this section comes from the following sources, some of which may be clinically complex or not available to the general public
Healthify He Puna Wairoa – Everyday exercise. Retrieved February 2020.
Ministry of Health – Eating and activity guidelines (https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/eating-and-activity-guidelines). Retrieved February 2020.
Ministry of Health – Guidelines on Physical Activity for Older People (aged 65 years and over) (https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/guidelines-physical-activity-older-people-aged-65-years-and-over). Retrieved February 2020.
Ministry of Health – Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Young People (https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-children-and-young-people-may17.pdf). Retrieved February 2020.
Image and embedded video sources
How to live an active lifestyle video from Whats Up Dude on YouTube.
Image of a couple walking a dog on a beach from Shutterstock (image ID 371080439). August 2017.
Image of a family walking in a park provided by Active Canterbury. May 2020.
Image of a man walking a dog from Shutterstock (image ID 381803392). February 2020.
Image of a person's legs walking up some steps from Shutterstock (image ID 753613000). February 2020.
Image of an elderly man standing near a chair and holding a weight provided by the Canterbury Clinical Network. May 2020.
Image of an older lady enjoying water exercises from Shutterstock (image ID 153635894). October 2019.
Image of people in a physical activity class provided by the Be Active Programme, Canterbury DHB. September 2015.
Image of young and older people on bicycles from Shutterstock (image ID 255849304) March 2022.
Rise & Recharge app video from Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute on YouTube.
What happens inside your body video from the British Heart Foundation on YouTube.