More than 60 percent of Americans aren’t getting enough exercise according to CDC, and 25 percent of adults aren’t active at all. Therefore, the answer to my first question for the majority of us is “NO!” Because of this and other health factors, for the first time ever this generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

So how can we get enough? How can we as a nation change this epidemic and start some healthy active habits that we can pass down to the next generation? The statistics are staggering and making an effort to actually get enough could prove to be very beneficial.  According to the CDC, more than one-third of our nation is obese. The obesity rate among adolescents since the 1980s has almost tripled. We are now beginning to see clogged arteries in children as well as diabetes and atherosclerosis. These diseases were previously only found in adults. But the “Do You Get Enough?” message does not apply solely to cardiovascular exercises; it also applies to strength training and flexibility. Below is an activity pyramid to provide you with a visual about what types of activity you need and how often you need them.

Reference:  International Diabetes Center, Pyramid Series.