ParticipACTION Canada has released its first report card for adult activity, and the marks aren’t very good.
Overall, Canadians got a ‘D’ for physical activity, with just 16 per cent of us getting the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous exercise.
Regular exercise helps prevent chronic illnesses in seniors, reduces social isolation and can help slow cognitive decline.
There’s good news in the report card, however. Three-quarters of us have strong intentions of increasing physical activity in the coming months.
Not everyone is going to become a dedicated athlete, but the pros say there are some simple steps you can take to increase your chances of following through on those healthy intentions.
“You set yourself up to go to a class, you make the commitment, then you commit to actually doing it,” said Eric Barber, owner of Crossfit Currie Barracks.
“It’s just the people who say, ‘Forget about the risks, forget about the concern, the worries, let’s just go and try it.’ Just do something.”
He says that while work, kids and other commitments can make it difficult to find the time, it’s important to commit to even one or two days a week for activity.
The good news is just over half of Canadians are getting about 7,200 steps in every day, enough to qualify as having a “physically active lifestyle.”
You can read the report online.
