able doing moderate-intensity activities before you move
Help Us Help Millions
on to more vigorous ones. The guidelines are about
doing physical activity that is right for you.
Muscle-strengthening activities – what
counts?
Besides aerobic activity, you need to do things to
strengthen your muscles at least 2 days a week. These
activities should work all the major muscle groups of
your body (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders,
and arms).
To gain health benefits, muscle-strengthening activi-
ties need to be done to the point where it’s hard for you
to do another repetition without help. A repetition is
one complete movement of an activity, like lifting a
weight or doing a sit-up. Try to do 8—12 repetitions per
activity that count as 1 set. Try to do at least 1 set of
muscle-strengthening activities, but to gain even more
benefits, do 2 or 3 sets.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
HIV/AIDS, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome,
More videos
and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the
Learn how to strengthen your muscles
diseases that affect women at disproportionately high
rates. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
square6 at home
Diseases (NIAID), one of the largest institutes of the world-
square6 in the gym renowned National Institutes of Health (NIH), conducts and
You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on
supports a global program of basic and applied research to
the same or different days that you do aerobic activity,
prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious, immunologic, and
immune-mediated diseases affecting women and girls all
whatever works best. Just keep in mind that muscle-
over the world.
strengthening activities don’t count toward your aerobic
activity total.
NIAID Is Improving Women’s Health
There are many ways you can strengthen your mus-
NIAID
NIAID conducts and supports lab studies and clinical trials to investigate these
cles, whether it’s at home or the gym. You may want to
and other issues affecting women:
try the following:
L Gender-specific differences in HIV disease progression and treatmentsquare6 Lifting weights
L Pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and new ways to modify the
square6 Working with resistance bands
immune system
square6 Doing exercises that use your body weight for resist-
L Biological, biochemical, and behavioral factors that influence
ance (i.e., push ups, sit ups)
susceptibility to STIs in hopes of developing new vaccines and treatments
square6 Heavy gardening (i.e., digging, shoveling)
NIAID collaborates with other NIH institutes and with private organizations
square6 Yoga
to improve women’s health. NIAID also involves women in clinical trials and
square6 What if you have a disability?
studies on the treatment and prevention of these debilitating diseases.
If you are an adult with a disability, regular physical
activity can provide you with important health benefits,
Advance your career while making a difference in the
like a stronger heart, lungs, and muscles, improved men-
lives of millions!
tal health, and a better ability to do everyday tasks. It’s
NIAID strongly encourages talented, motivated, and qualified professional
best to talk with your health care provider before you
women to apply to one of the several medical officer, nurse, postdoctoral
fellow, and other scientific and business management positions that
begin a physical activity routine. Try to get advice from a
are currently available.
professional with experience in physical activity and dis-
Please visit http://www.niaid.nih.gov/careers/pwm to learn more about
ability. They can tell you more about the amounts and
NIAID and to view available career opportunities.
types of physical activity that are appropriate for you
and your abilities. If you are looking for additional infor-
mation, visit The National Center on Physical Activity
and Disability. PWM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH National Institute of Allergy and
AND HUMAN SERVICES Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Source: Department of Health and Human Services
Proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers
www.professionalwomanmag.com PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S MAGAZINE 49
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