Active Living

Active living means including physical activity in your daily life. Active living could mean walking to the store or to school, taking the stairs instead of the elevator at the mall, or playing a sport for fun.

Reasons to be active

Being active is a good way to connect with your friends and family and meet new people.

Being active is also good for your health. It helps build:

• Cardiovascular fitness
• Posture and balance
• Strength
• Bone density (strong bones)
• Self-esteem

Physical activity can lead to better performance at school. Being active can also help you:

• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Reduce stress and anxiety.
• Prevent chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, type 2  diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

How much is enough?

Aim for 60 minutes a day.

Get examples and find out more: read the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (PDF) for youth aged 12-17.