If I could choose only one medicine from all the medicine in the world to prescribe, it would be exercising for 30 minutes a day, five days a week to get at least 150 minutes. Any amount of exercise is better than being sedentary, even if a person’s health status prevents them from achieving recommended goals. Regular physical activity and exercise are important for healthy aging and are beneficial for chronic disease management and prevention of disease.

How do I get started?

You already have a goal – getting active. Next you should define that goal. When starting new habits, it is important to set well-defined, achievable goals that you can build upon. So, if you haven’t seen a treadmill or running shoes in five years, don’t think of yourself as a failure if you miss the deadline for marathon qualification next week.

If you have chronic health issues, make sure to talk to your doctor about an exercise plan that’s right for you. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start with an activity that is fairly easy for you, such as walking. Do it for a few minutes a day or several times a day. Then slowly increase the time and intensity.

Take your routine to the next level.

Adding healthy habits is great – replacing bad ones is fantastic. Addiction to smartphone usage is a common worldwide problem among adults, which might negatively affect their wellbeing. The positive correlation between smartphone addiction and depression is alarming. Reasonable usage of smartphones is advised, especially among younger adults who could be at higher risk of depression.

I think exercise is a perfect opportunity for people to disconnect from the Internet and social media. Instead, use your time walking, running, hiking or biking to reconnect with someone or use the time to clear your mind.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one.” ― Mark Twain

You can’t walk 100 miles without the first step. Take today to start moving as medicine and you will not regret it.