Long hours in front of a computer monitor or television screen isn’t the best thing for your mind or body. Lace up your tennis shoes and get a move on! Just 150 minutes of physical activity each week makes a big difference.

Mix it up. Do something fun. It won’t be long before you notice some positive changes. Here are 10 reasons to motivate you to get started

1. Boost your energy. It’s tempting to curl up on the couch to read or watch a show when you feel drained. Odd as it might seem, that’s exactly when you should get up and move. Exercise helps your blood flow, delivers oxygen throughout your body, wakes you up and makes you feel ready to take on the next challenge.

2. Improve your mood. In some cases, exercise can work better than medication and is a great stress management tool. The Mayo Clinic  reports exercise relieves depression and anxiety by releasing feel-good endorphins and other brain chemicals that take your mind off your worries.

3. Strengthen your bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation  recommends two types of exercise for building and maintaining bone density: weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening. Thinning bones increase your risk for painful fractures if you fall. Strength-training and weight-bearing exercises also help with balance.

4. Keep your mind sharp. You can still do the daily crossword puzzle, just be sure you’re moving your body, too. Physical activity nurtures thinking, learning and judgment skills as you age, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

5. Slash your risk for diabetes. Staying active helps keep blood glucose levels in check. Healthy glucose levels reduce the possibility of developing type 2 diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, regular activity can help you manage it. Learn more. 

6. Lower your chance for heart attack and stroke.Exercise helps control your weight, lower your LDL (“bad” cholesterol), raise your HDL (“good” cholesterol) and control your blood pressure. They’re all vitally important in keeping your arteries clear and heart muscle healthy.

7. Avoid back aches.Stretch and strengthen the muscles in your back and core. Doing so helps reduce pain, improve mobility and have better posture.

8. Relieve achy joints. Sore knees and hips might seem like a good reason to take it easy, but they’re not. The Arthritis Foundation  reveals physical activity is the best non-drug treatment for improving pain and function.

9. Be independent longer.When you increase your strength and flexibility through regular exercise, you protect your ability to perform tasks that are a vital part of daily living. Lifting a grandchild, putting on a seatbelt, even driving take strength, dexterity and coordination.

10. Accomplish things you never thought you could.Join the 71 percent of SilverSneakers^® participants who say, “I discovered I can do more than I thought I could.” (2017 SilverSneakers Annual Participant Survey)

Remember, you can get all the activity you need by participating in SilverSneakers. If you haven’t started yet, do it now. You’ll be glad you did.

Get up and get active now with SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers.com/StartHere  1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET

Sources: Exercise: Seven Benefits of Regular Physical Activity,  Mayo Clinic. 2019; Benefits of Physical Activity,  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; Prevention and Healthy Living,  National Osteoporosis Foundation, 2021; Diabetes Diet, Eating & Physical Activity,  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2021; Benefits of Exercise for Osteoarthritis,  Arthritis Foundation, 2021.

Blue Cross®, Blue Shield® and the Cross and Shield Symbols are registered service marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

SilverSneakers® is a wellness program owned and operated by Tivity Health, Inc., an independent company.
Tivity Health and SilverSneakers®   are registered trademarks or trademarks of Tivity Health, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

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Originally published 9/11/2018, Revised 2021