For Angus Council Leisure Services phone ACCESSLine 08452 777 778

Keeping physically active can involve what we think of as 'exercise'. But there are also plenty of day-to-day and social activities that can help you keep physically active without joining an exercise class.

Unfortunately changes in modern life have meant that many of us are walking less and driving more, making greater use of labour saving gadgets and have gardens that are easier to manage. Many of today's popular social activities also involve little physical activity - which has resulted in many people living a more sedentary lifestyle.

Research suggests that among over-50s only 17% of women and 25% of men are sufficiently active to benefit their health. Research conducted in the late 1990s also suggested that 25% women and 7% men aged 70 - 74 do not have sufficient strength in their legs to get out of a chair without using their arms.

A little activity is better than none and it is never too late to start. To really benefit you should aim to build up to around 30 minutes each day on most days of the week. The 30 minutes doesn't have to be continuous. Ten minutes at a time, at different times of the day works as well.

For futher information about exercise classes and keeping active in Angus telephone ACCESSLine 08452 777 778