What better time than spring to kick your fitness game up a notch or kick off a fitness routine? Longer days and warmer weather give you the perfect motivation. And you don't have to start training for a marathon — as long as you're getting more activity than you used to, you're on the right track. Let springtime's rejuvenation inspire you to break down barriers and finally make fitness a way of life.
Regular physical activity improves your mood, enhances the quality of your life, helps you reduce stress, and, most important, it strengthens your body while burning calories. Physical activity helps your body work the way it’s supposed to. Even simple walking helps keep muscles — including your heart — strong.
Here’s how physical activity benefits everyone:
- Children and adolescents — Physical activity can improve muscular fitness, bone health, and heart health.
- Adults — Physical activity can lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
- Older adults — Physical activity can lower the risk of falls and improve cognitive functioning (like learning and judgment skills).
- Aerobic activities make you breathe harder and cause your heart to beat faster. Walking fast is an example of aerobic activity.
- Muscle-strengthening activities make your muscles stronger. Muscle-strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing pushups.