Think back to when you were a little kid. You probably spent a lot of time running around. But now that you’re a teen, you might have fewer opportunities to get moving.
It’s normal for physical activity levels to drop in middle school and high school, when you’re more likely to engage in sedentary behaviors like looking at your phone or talking with friends. In fact, research shows that four out of five adolescents don’t get the recommended amount of exercise.
That’s bad news for your health. Regular exercise builds strong bones and muscles, and it can improve your sleep and mood. It also helps reduce the risk of health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
So how much exercise do you need? Aim for a total of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity, says Meredith Therrien. She’s a youth fitness trainer in New York City.
An hour of exercise might sound like a lot at first. But what if we told you it can be the same thing as an hour of playing? “Physical activity should always be about having fun,” says Anthony Wall. He’s a health and fitness expert with the American Council on Exercise.
To help you get started, we put together a get-moving routine that will make it easy to hit your daily fitness goals. You’ll be having so much fun, you might not even notice you’re also working out!