What comes to mind when you hear the words, “physical fitness?” You may have thought about a physical education class or maybe even a social media fitness influencer. But there’s more to physical fitness than meets the eye. 

Fitness is the ability to carry out daily tasks without excessive fatigue. It’s best to think of physical fitness as a commitment to moving more each day.

The CDC recommends that adults get at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two hours of strength training each week. 

Fitness isn’t limited to those who frequent the gym, athletes, or self-proclaimed fitness gurus. 

All students, regardless of body composition, fitness level, or ability, can benefit from some form of movement.

Even small increases in the amount of movement performed each day can:

• Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease
• Release endorphins that improve mood and reduce anxiety
• Improve quality of sleep
• Promote concentration and overall brain health 

Moving more can be a chore for many of us— but it doesn’t have to be. Here are five tips that’ll make you look forward to incorporating more movement in your daily routine.

1. Motivate each other. Build connections with others by joining a virtual fitness class or working out with a roommate. Encourage each other as you achieve fitness goals.
2. Mix it up. Plan different activities to avoid boredom.If you did a yoga class one day, try water aerobics or dancing to your favorite songs the next day. Create an inspirational playlist to get you through the toughest workouts.
3. Start slow. If you’re new to physical activity, try starting off with light-intensity activities like taking a leisurely walk or doing dumbbell curls using water bottles or lighter weights. Then, gradually progress to moderate and vigorous activities like jogging, playing a sport, or doing a high-intensity chair workout. 
4. Reward yourself. When you achieve a fitness goal, treat yourself to something that brings you joy like your favorite meal or a new clothing item.
5. Use your resources. There are plenty of sample workouts, weekly fitness journals, and how-to guides on apps like YouTube, TikTok, Nike Training Club, and Strava. Some YouTube fitness channels with workouts for individuals of all fitness levels include—

• Fitness Blender
• Blogilates
• PopSugar Fitness
• Kym Perfetto (formerly Kym NonStop)
• HasFit

For more information on how you can get moving here at UMBC and in the greater Baltimore County community, please visit the following resources—

• UMBC Retriever Activities Center (RAC)
• UMBC Office of Health Promotion
• Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks

The Center for Democracy and Civic Life’s work builds from the idea that all of us, and the ways we pull together to address challenges and create our shared future, truly matter. Today we are releasing the first edition of Community Matters, a monthly newsletter that offers a window into this work. We invite you to read on to discover ways you can get involved and connect with each other, including by listening to the first four episodes of our new podcast, Retriever Tales, launching today.

Read the April edition of Community Matters here. For an alt text version of the April edition, click here.