Move More, Live Better: Making Exercise a Lifelong Habit for Wellness

September 24, 2025

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Summary

Find Your Exercise “Happy Place!”

Even if you don’t think you like exercise, there may be something you enjoy! Think of a time when you were active and happy at the same time. It might have been in childhood or when you were a young adult, or it may have been recent. Here are some examples.

Playing at recess in elementary school
Chasing the ice cream truck
Jumping on a trampoline
Playing with your dog
Dancing at a party or in a bar
Shopping on a boardwalk or at a mall
Pool party or water play

There’s a good chance that you can find some activity to enjoy and keep up long-term.

Physical Activity Recommendations

Moderate to Vigorous Intensity Activity

Aim for at least 150-300 minutes per week, with more benefits at the higher end. Here are examples of aerobic activities to consider.

Brisk walking, uphill walking, hiking, jogging
Swimming laps, water aerobics
Stationary or outdoors cycling, spinning
Playing and training for sports, e.g., tennis, soccer, basketball, golf, pickleball, badminton
Group fitness classes such as kickboxing, zumba, aerobics, boot camp
Rowing, elliptical, stair climber machines

Remember to keep trying different activities until you find some that you love!

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

Aim for two to three weekly sessions that work all major muscle groups. These are the major muscle groups, along with sample exercises.

Arms - bicep curls, concentration curls,
Shoulders - shoulder press, arm raises
Chest - chest flies, bench press, push-ups
Back - seated rows, kneeling rows
Abdomen - planks, side planks, crunches, dead bugs
Hips - side lunges, hip adduction, hip abduction
Legs - dead lifts, lunges, dips, squats, hamstring curls, leg press, calf raises

Perform them with proper form. Ask for help if you need it. You can use gym equipment, home weights like dumbbells, resistance bands, and soup cans, or body weight for resistance.

Benefits of Physical Activity for Physical and Mental Health

Physical activity has many benefits for physical and mental health.

Weight Management: Burns calories during and after

Blood Sugar: Reduces insulin resistance and lowers blood sugar

More: Heart health, mood, stress reduction, better sleep, improved cognition, better memory, reduced risk of cognitive decline

Find your personal reasons to maintain motivation to be active.

Common Barriers to Exercise

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Challenge	Possible Solutions
Too tired	Go to bed earlier Eat healthier Exercise earlier in the day Exercise before getting home or going indoors
Too busy or not enough time	Schedule it in your calendar Prioritize it Get active during TV time Make it productive - multitask! Fit in small bouts
Don't know what to do	Walk in your neighborhood or on a treadmill Try a group fitness class Hire a trainer (even for just a couple of sessions)
Nobody to exercise with	Ask friends, neighbors, and family members Phone a friend while you walk Be flexible to accommodate your partner!
Injured or restrictions	Talk to your doctor or a physical therapist Modify (e.g., lighter weights, smaller range of motion, or low-impact) Take breaks
Don't like exercise	Fight boredom with books, TV shows, movies, podcasts, or music Try other activities: dancing, circus classes Try “non-exercise” physical activity, such as gardening or dancing
Not motivated	Identify your reasons Look inside yourself for internal motivation Tell others about your intentions and goals
Bad weather	Use a DVD or video at home Buy a treadmill, stationary bike, or other piece of cardio equipment for home Check for recreation or community centers with classes, equipment, or open gym or court hours

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Creating Your Exercise and Physical Activity Plan

Here are four steps to creating your plan. Access a printable pdf worksheet here.

https://www.lark.com/resources/lark-physical-activity-plan-worksheet

Name your goals and reasons for wanting to get active and stay active.
Identify which activities you want to do, when and where you’ll do them, and for how long.
Think about challenges or barriers you’re likely to encounter. Lack of time, lack of motivation, poor weather, and feeling tired are common ones.
Make plans for what you might do to get in your physical activity even if these challenges happen. For example, you might overcome bad weather by taking your workout indoors or modifying it. If you’re feeling tired, you might consider a shorter or less intense workout, and an earlier bedtime.

Overcome All-Or-Nothing Thinking

All-or-nothing thinking happens when you think that if things don’t go perfectly or as planned, you might as well give up. Since things rarely go perfectly or exactly as planned, all-or-nothing thinking can lead you to give up on your healthy intentions.

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If barriers come up, consider modifying your workout to accommodate them. For example, walk later in the day if you have to go to a meeting instead of taking the walk you had planned at lunchtime. Or, if you have to pick up the kids during your scheduled gym time, play with them to get in a workout. Any activity you do is better than nothing!

Starting or Re-Starting a Physical Activity Routine

If you haven’t exercised in a while, or if you’ve never exercised regularly, start slow and well within your abilities. Ask your healthcare provider if you have any exercise limitations. Then choose a start date and a starting activity. Try a short and slow walk, for example. Only increase intensity and duration gradually.

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