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The Ultimate List of Physical Activities! | 100 Ways to Be Physically Active

Photo of a girl doing physical activity in the form of yogaLooking for a new activity to try? In this post, I share a comprehensive list of physical activities for anyone looking to increase their daily activity.

According to the CDC, “Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health”, and this is because physical activity provides a vast number of health benefits. These benefits range from promoting strong muscles and bones to reducing your risk of depression and other chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

The Key to Unlocking Health Benefits: Getting “Regular” Exercise

When it comes to being physically active & unlocking health benefits, it is recommended to reduce sedentary time (AKA the time spent sitting or being stationary), and increasing the amount of movement you do throughout the day. More specifically, the key to unlocking the health benefits of physical activity is to move on a regular basis, and it is recommended to accumulate a total of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity spread out throughout the week. To learn more about the movement guidelines, click here!

The Movement Guidelines:

It is recommended adults obtain 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.

MVPA: Any activity that increases your heart rate and makes it difficult to carry out a conversation.

So how exactly do you get “regular” exercise?

The first suggestion that comes to mind is to find an activity that you enjoy doing, as it is much easier to stick with something you enjoy. If you’re having trouble finding an activity to do, or you want to change up your physical activity routine, I’ve compiled this physical activities list totaling 100 ways to be physically active!

 

 

100 Ways to Be Physically Active: The Ultimate Physical Activities List!

 

Photo of someone walking up the stairs as a form of physical activityWhile on the Go:
  1. Walk/bike to work/use active transportation (e.g., use a scooter)
  2. Get off the bus a few stops early
  3. Take the stairs
  4. Walk around the mall
  5. Park farther away

 

At Home:
  1. Clean the house, vacuum, do yard work (e.g., mow the lawn/rake leaves/yardwork/shoveling)
  2. Do some gardening
  3. Wash the car
  4. Try a YouTube workout video – Check out my YouTube channel for some fun home workouts!
  5. Treadmill/bike while watching tv/reading
  6. Do some exercises during commercial breaks
  7. Have a dance party around the house
  8. Build your own workout/exercise sequence (e.g., 10 push-ups, jumping jacks, jogging on the spot)

 

At Work:
  1. Desk stretches/breaks – Check out my desk stretching video here!
  2. Use a standing desk
  3. Host active meetings (e.g., turn a meeting into a walk)
  4. Walk while on the phone
In Your Community:
  1. Physical Activity Idea: Photo of a girl doing aerial silksTry sightseeing (museum, walk around your local city)
  2. Volunteering
  3. Swimming
  4. Hit up the local track

Try a Fitness Class:

  1. Yoga
  2. Spin Class
  3. Zumba
  4. Learn self-defense
  5. Circuit Training
  6. Tabata class
  7. Pilates
  8. Dance class
  9. Pole dancing
  10. Aerial yoga/aerial silks
  11. Aquafit/water aerobics
  12. Hire a personal trainer

Hit up the gym:

  1. (1) Lift weights
  2. (2) Try CrossFit/Bootcamp

 

With Your Friends/Family:
  1. photo of a kite in the skyObstacle course
  2. Bowling
  3. Trampoline park
  4. Play with your kid/pet
  5. Fly a kite
  6. Play Catch
  7. Pillow fight
  8. Interactive games (e.g., Wii, Play Twister)
  9. Night out dancing

Try Yard Games:

  1. 4 square
  2. Dodgeball
  3. Hopscotch
  4. Tag
  5. Duck, Duck Goose
  6. Play in the snow/sand; snowball fight, build a snow fort/snowman/sandcastle

 

Try a Hobby or Sport:
  1. Build something
  2. Train for a Marathon/Race/triathlon

Join a rec league/play a sport:

  1. Soccer
  2. Badminton
  3. Baseball
  4. Basketball
  5. Frisbee
  6. Golf
  7. Boxing
  8. Tennis
  9. Boxing
  10. Hockey
  11. Tai Chi
  12. Football
  13. Ping pong
  14. Squash
  15. Volleyball
  16. Rugby
  17. Paintball
  18. Field Hockey
  19. Gymnastics

 

Do Something Outdoors:
  1. Photo of someone tying up their roller skatesWalking
  2. Walk the dog
  3. Hiking
  4. Running
  5. Biking
  6. Workout in the park
  7. Horseback riding

Try Seasonal sports/activities:

  1. Cross Country Skiing
  2. Downhill Skiing/snowboarding, surfing
  3. Tobogganing/Sand surfing
  4. Snowshoeing
  5. Ice skating
  6. Rollerblading
  7. Kayaking
  8. Canoeing
  9. Rock climbing
  10. Frisbee
  11. Geocaching
  12. Try a ropes course
  13. Hit up the Playground
  14. Climb a tree
  15. Jump on the trampoline
  16. Fishing
  17. Mountain biking
  18. Skateboarding
  19. Tubing
  20. Go bird watching
  21. Explore in nature
  22. Try orienteering

 

So what’s next…?

 

Great! You have this long list of 100 ways to be physically active. So how exactly do you “move” forward & start being active? The next step is to do it! Spend some time this week trying out your chosen activities & take note of how they make you feel. For additional wellness tips, check out my latest blog post: Wellness 101: 5 Healthy Habits to Improve Your Wellbeing | Simple Self Care Tips & Wellness Strategies to Enhance Your Health in 2022 🌿

Try this brief activity below to help you narrow down your focus:

 

1. What activities sound interesting to you? Brainstorm a list of activities you would like to try. 

 

2. Is there anyone you want to reach out to & try the activities with? Write down their names and reach out to them to gauge their interest in the activities.

 

3. Schedule them! Whether you choose to do the activities solo, or you want to bring a friend, pick a date/time to do the activities and schedule them.

 

4. Do them! When the scheduled time comes, do the activities & enjoy!

 

5. After doing the activities, reflect on how the activities made you feel. If you feel great, schedule them again. If you didn’t enjoy the experience, that’s okay! Repeat this activity and try something else!

 

I hope you enjoyed this article & found this physical activities list fun to try. I want to know… what activities are you going to try? Also, I’m wondering do you engage in any hobbies that should be added to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Take care,

Heather

Hi, I’m Heather & I love all things health & wellness. 

I share fun workouts & wellness tips for anyone looking to level-up their health & wellbeing. 

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