Physical Activity and Exercise for Young Adults

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young adults aged 18-24 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week.

Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activities include walking briskly, biking, swimming, and dancing.

Examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities include running, playing basketball, playing soccer, and jumping rope.

Physical activity has many benefits for young adults, including reduced risk of chronic diseases, improved mental health and well-being, stronger bones and muscles, improved sleep, and more.

Young adults can make physical activity a part of their daily lives by finding activities that they enjoy and that fit into their schedule, starting slowly and gradually increasing the amount of time they spend being active, making physical activity a social activity, setting realistic goals and tracking their progress, and more.

College students can stay active by taking advantage of campus recreation facilities, joining a sports team or club, walking or biking to class instead of driving, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and more.

Working adults can stay active by taking a walk or bike ride during their lunch break, using the stairs instead of the elevator, standing up and moving around every 30 minutes, joining a company sports team or club, and more.

Pregnant women can stay active by talking to their doctor about what types of physical activity are safe for them, starting slowly and gradually increasing the amount of time they spend being active, choosing activities that are low-impact and don't put too much strain on their body, listening to their body and stopping if they feel pain, and more.

Women who have recently had a baby can stay active by waiting until their doctor clears them to start exercising, starting slowly and gradually increasing the amount of time they spend being active, choosing activities that are low-impact and don't put too much strain on their body, listening to their body and stopping if they feel pain, and more.

Older adults can stay active by choosing activities that are appropriate for their age and fitness level, starting slowly and gradually increasing the amount of time they spend being active, making physical activity a part of their daily routine, listening to their body and stopping if they feel pain, and more.

Young adults can find resources to help them get started with physical activity from the CDC's website, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition website, local gyms and recreation centers, online resources, such as fitness apps and websites, and more.

Common barriers to physical activity for young adults include lack of time, lack of money, lack of access to safe and convenient places to be active, lack of motivation, and more.

Young adults can overcome barriers to physical activity by finding activities that they enjoy and that fit into their schedule, starting slowly and gradually increasing the amount of time they spend being active, making physical activity a social activity, setting realistic goals and tracking their progress, and more.

Young adults can stay active during the winter months by finding indoor activities that they enjoy, such as swimming, skating, or dancing, dressing in layers so that they can stay warm while they're being active, taking advantage of daylight hours to get outside and be active, making physical activity a part of their holiday celebrations, and more.

Young adults can stay active during the summer months by taking advantage of the warm weather to get outside and be active, finding activities that they can do in the water, such as swimming, kayaking, or paddleboarding, making physical activity a part of their summer vacations, staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen when they're being active outdoors, and more.