Teens
“I don’t like to exercise!”
Being active is important for your health and the way you look and feel about yourself. Being active is great if you’re interested in losing weight or firming up your body. But it’s also great if you just want to do something good for yourself!
Teenagers should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Some of this activity should work to strenghen muscles and bones.
If you don’t like to “exercise,” try changing your approach to thinking about being active. Being on the basketball team isn’t good for everyone. Maybe you’d like rollerblading, yoga, or skiing instead.
You can do it!
Find physical activities that you enjoy. Think about what you like to do and look for ways to make those activities more physical:
- If you like music and parties, find a place to go dancing.
- If you like videogames, try Dance Dance Revolution or Wii Fit.
- If you like to read, take a walk to the library or hike to a great outdoor reading spot.
- If you like to watch TV or videos, do exercises while you’re watching or ride your bike to the video store.
- If you like to hang out with friends, do something physical as a group like a game of basketball or biking to the river to hang out.
Q & A
Q: I want to start exercising to lose weight, but I’m embarrassed to do stuff in public like jog or do the exercise activities at the park. I don’t want people to see me exercising. What can I do?
A: There are lots of ways to be active that might not look like exercise. Walking is a great example. If you have a dog, you’ve got a great excuse to get out and walk. You can also walk to the store or a friend’s house or even around the mall. You can control the level of exercise by walking faster or slower. If you’ve got younger brothers or sisters, walk them to the park or to the pool. While you’re there, start a game of tag! You can also do activities inside the house or in your own yard. Dance along with music videos, kick a soccer ball against a brick wall, or challenge yourself to see how many leg lifts or push-ups you can do while watching your favorite TV show.
