Physical activity - choosing the one for you Choose a physical activity or exercise that you enjoy so you're more likely to stick with it. You may choose to walk, run, swim or cycle, use home fitness equipment or work out to an exercise DVD. You might prefer company and get involved in team sports or join a gym. Once you’ve decided to build physical activity into your daily life, the next most important decision is the activity you choose. Look for a type of physical activity that you’re likely to enjoy. You are more likely to abandon a healthy lifestyle change if your chosen activity doesn’t suit your preferences or lifestyle. See your doctor for advice, support and a medical check-up before you start any new physical activity program. This is particularly important if you are over 40 years, overweight, haven’t exercised in a long time or suffer from a chronic medical condition. Some issues you may like to consider include: Exercising alone – this is a good option if your busy schedule prevents you from planning a regular time to be active every day. However, unless you are self-motivated, you may find yourself putting off physical activity and never doing it. Training buddy – you may be more likely to commit to a physical activity routine if you are doing it with someone else, because you don’t want to let your training buddy down. Team sports and group physical activity programs – organised activities offer the chance to widen your social circle. However, training sessions and regular matches can also demand a lot of your time. Mixing it up – some people like to combine two or three options. For example, you may choose to exercise alone on two or three days of the week, and train with a buddy or participate in a team sport on a couple of the other days. Variety helps prevent boredom. While any type of physical activity is good for you, different physical activities offer different results. Deciding your health goals will steer you towards the right intensity of activity for you. For example, weight-bearing activities such as walking, running, weight training or cycling are good choices for weight management because they help burn kilojoules.