I don’t like to exercise. Do I really need to?
Get fit for your health!
Exercise benefits every part of your body and brain. Now, that’s pretty cool. Plus there are many ways to exercise. If you don’t like one, you can try another.
- What experiences have I had with exercise?
- Kids may think exercise is not for them. Some kids say:
- “I don’t like to sweat.”
- “Exercise is boring and there’s nothing fun about it.”
- “Exercise is too hard for me. I get tired easily.”
- Can you relate? How do you feel about exercise? What could you do?
Get some ideas that have worked for other kids.
Explore exercise
- Think of some fun activities you’ve done before. What about activities you’ve seen other kids do? You don’t have to exercise in a gym. Any activity that makes your heart rate and breathing get faster counts as exercise.
- Try out different types of exercise. Sign up for something that interests you. For example, try a sports league, dance and fitness class, or hiking club.
- Find an exercise buddy — maybe a friend, parent, sibling, or your dog. Exercising with others makes it more fun.
- Build up your fitness level to make exercising easier. Start slowly with activities you can do without having to learn a new skill. For example, try walking, climbing stairs, and jogging. Over time, you’ll be able to do these activities longer and with more intensity.
The perks of exercising
- Exercise is not only fun but also provides great health benefits. It also makes you feel good.
Health benefits of regular exercise
- mental health is better, and mood improves
- aerobic fitness increases
- sleep improves
- cardiovascular system stays healthy
- breathing during exercise improves
- muscles get bigger, stronger, and more efficient
- weight control is easier
- immune system is stronger (less sickness)
- blood sugar stays at a healthy level
- bones become harder and stronger
- Will any of these ideas work for me? What else could I do?
