Granddads should keep reasonably active, so they can keep up with their grand kids. Obviously the kids aren’t around as often as you need to exercise so it is important you develop and stick to your own health activity plan.

There are 4 types of activities you need to keep you healthy.

1. Moderate fitness activities:

These help to keep your heart, lungs and blood levels healthy.

You should aim to do 30 minutes of activity from this group on most days. This can be three lots of 10 minutes or two lots of 15 minutes.

Try any of these:

Brisk walking, continuous swimming, golf (no carts), aerobics, cycling, washing the car, walking the dog, yard and garden work, tennis, water aerobics, dancing.

2. Strength activities.

These help your muscles and bones stay strong and make it easier for you to do daily tasks as you get older.

Make time to do specific strength exercises 2 to 3 times a week and build some of them into your everyday activities.

Try any of these:

• Weight, strength or resistance training exercises
• Lifting and carrying groceries or small kids
• Climbing stairs
• Moderate yard work e.g. digging
• Calisthensics e.g. pushup and situps

3. Flexibility activities

These help you to move more easily. They include gentle reaching, bending and stretching. If you are flexible you will always be able to put on your shoes and socks!

Try to do some form of stretching everyday – even if it is only while you are watching TV.

Try any of these:

Tai Chi, Bolws, stretching exercises, yoga, dancing, gardening

4. Balancing activities

These will improve your balance and help to prevent falls. Make a specific time each day to do these exercises, or fit them in whenever you can e.g when waiting for the kettle to boil.

This has been reproduced with permission from the publication Choose Health: Be Active. A physical guide for older Australians.

An initiative of the Australian Government in association with Sports Medicine Australia.