Manitoba inmotion

110 Ways to be Physically Active

Physical activity doesn’t need to be difficult. By making a few small changes you can improve your health while enjoying being active.

Activities are organized into the following categories:

Walking

Everyday activities

Time management

Activities to get involved in

Helpful tips

For families

Walking:

  1. Take a short lunch then walk the rest of your noon break
  2. Walk to work, it it’s too far, park far away and walk the rest of the way.
  3. Walk the dog
  4. Walk to do your errands
  5. Park farther away when going places and walk the rest of the way
  6. Walk to the park
  7. Walk before and after work
  8. Walk children to school
  9. Go for a walk after supper
  10. Walk halls at work to go to co-workers office instead of emailing or phoning them
  11. Walk upstairs or to a further washroom or water cooler to use the washroom or get a drink of water.
  12. Take regular walks
  13. Walk home for lunch
  14. Organize a walking club in your community or workplace
  15. Walk to get a movie
  16. Walk for social events, i.e. Lunches, to meet friends etc.
  17. Power walk
  18. Walk to meetings
  19. Walk while you are on the telephone

Everyday activities

  1. Do daily chores the “hard” way
  2. Chop firewood
  3. Weight lifting with everyday objects
  4. Do housework
  5. Do yard work

Time management

  1. Exercise in the morning
  2. Ride your bike to work
  3. Exercise at lunch hour
  4. Hold walking meetings
  5. Exercise while watching TV,

ex . walk on a treadmill, ride a stationary bike or do stretches or crunches

Activities to get involved in

  1. Join a sports team or take up an active hobby
  2. Play hockey
  3. Become a fitness leader in your community
  4. Coach a sports team
  5. Volunteer for non profit organizations
  6. Plant a garden and harvest
  7. Join a gym
  8. Do aerobics after work
  9. Start an adult volleyball club
  10. Play noon hour hockey
  11. Train for a marathon
  12. Do 15 minutes of yoga stretching routine
  13. Go curling
  14. Join a Taekwondo class
  15. Dance
  16. Referee hockey
  17. Go skating
  18. Go cross country skiing
  19. Join a pilates class
  20. Buy a golf membership and have a golf buddy
  21. Join a running club
  22. Play tennis
  23. Go bowling
  24. Play bocce ball
  25. Go tobogganing
  26. Play rugby
  27. Play soccer

Helpful tips

  1. Pull wagon to get groceries
  2. Walk as often as you can
  3. Call a friend to go for a walk or go to the gym
  4. Use the stairs instead of the elevator
  5. Take extra trips back and forth from the car instead of taking one huge load
  6. Wake up a bit earlier to do yoga or pilates before work
  7. Get active with another person
  8. Find an activity you enjoy doing
  9. Go for a run with co-workers after work
  10. Plan walking routes and have a plan B shorter route for busier days.
  11. Walk around the office when trying to solve a problem
  12. Take the long route when going from building to building or room to room at work
  13. Plan out your chores throughout the week and incorporate one or two chores into your “physical activity” regimen every day.
  14. Structure physical activity 3 times a week
  15. Make physical activity a priority and make time
  16. Watch 1 hour less TV per day
  17. Get active with the younger generation for motivation
  18. Exercise and work out with other groups in your community
  19. If coaching or teaching, participate with children playing sports or activities
  20. Build a home in the country
  21. Wear a pedometer and be more aware of moving around
  22. Record your favorite TV shows and watch while on the treadmill or stationary bike
  23. Bring your running shoes everywhere with you incase there is some time to walk
  24. Go out for recess with your students and play games with them
  25. Walk up and down hills
  26. When invite guests over go for a walk or bike ride for part of the visit
  27. Take the batteries out of the TV remote
  28. Return shopping carts to deposit area
  29. Do reading or studying on cardiovascular equipment
  30. Carry groceries instead of using cart
  31. Hang clothes outside to dry during spring, summer and fall
  32. Walk around the arena or playing area while your child is involved in sports
  33. Have a screensaver at work that comes up every 15 minutes at work that says to stretch
  34. Make a regular time for physical activity daily and make it part of your routine
  35. Take a stretch break
  36. While shopping walk quickly
  37. Play music while doing housework
  38. Leave things in the trunk of your car so you have to go out and get them
  39. Sit on an exercise ball instead of an office chair for part of a day
  40. Walk to get food for lunch
  41. Help friends with chores

For families

  1. Go for family walks
  2. Play physically active games with your children or others in your family

100. Plan family activity days

101. Go swimming as a family 102. Use the great outdoors with your family, ex. Skiing, hiking, cycling etc. 103. Organize fun events in your community, ex. Skipping competitions, sliding parties.

104. Walk as a family to children’s sporting events

105. Play in the leaves with children

How do you get physically active? Add your own suggestions to the list:

106.

107.

108.

109.

110.