Six Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle Year Round

The president of the United States is encouraging students and employees to get motivated and live healthy lifestyles. According to the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge and the Center for Disease Control, kids and teens (ages 6-17) should participate in 60 minutes of physical activity a day (adults 18 and over, 30 minutes a day). While it may seem laborious to complete the recommended amount of physical activity each week, especially as fall and winter approach and our days become cooler and shorter, following these six tips for pursuing a healthy lifestyle can help you meet the President’s Challenge.

1. Ride your bike

Go on a bike ride around your neighborhood but don’t forget to wear a helmet and watch out for cars!

2. Take your dog for a walk

Don’t have a dog? How about cat, turtle, ferret, rabbit, or little sister…

3. Join a sports team

Find out what recreational sports your community offers and don’t forget to inquire about indoor leagues that run through the winter (i.e. soccer, basketball, swim, volleyball).

4. Play with your friends and neighbors

Start a game of kickball, capture the flag, Frisbee, or tag.

5. Interactive games

On cold, rainy, or snowy days, try out interactive video games that get your heart beat bumping.

6. Track your steps

Kids and adults who find it difficult to implement active play into their daily schedules can track their steps using a pedometer. Kids should strive to track at least 12,000 steps a day and adults should be taking at least 8,500 steps per day.

Being healthy year-round doesn’t stop at physical activity. Eating healthy is also important and Learning Liftoff has several suggestions for how to implement a healthy diet. Most importantly, participating in the recommended amount of physical activity means you’ll need to replenish your body with lots of water.

The daily grind can get in the way of pursuing an active lifestyle, but our health is on the line! To show that we’re all in this together, the social media crew at K12 is accepting the President’s Challenge of following a healthy lifestyle year-round.

How does your school encourage a healthy lifestyle year-round? Do you participate in physical education, play sports, or have scheduled breaks that inspire active play? Homeschoolers and students who attend online public school are equally encouraged to participate in the President’s Challenge and pursue healthy choices. There are loads of initiatives that promote a healthy lifestyle. Which one incites the most motivation in you?


Image Credit – USAG- Humphreys / CC by 2.0

 

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