American Heart Association Encourages Everyone to Move More This April

This April the American Heart Association is encouraging Americans to get Healthy For Good™ (heart.org/HealthyForGood) by being more physically active. The annual National Walking Day celebration has been expanded to a month-long initiative as part of this ‘movement.’ Healthy For Good™ is designed to inspire lasting change through small, simple steps in four key areas: Eat smart. Add color. Move more. Be well.

The goal is for adults to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination of both). For kids, it’s at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Being physically active on a regular basis is important to promote overall health and prevent heart disease and stroke, which are responsible for more deaths in the U.S. than all forms of cancer combined. Research has shown that every hour of regular exercise can add about two hours to life expectancy, even if you don’t start until midlife. Plus, regular physical activity can help relieve depression, manage stress, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve sleep, and prevent weight gain.

This April, commit to move more as an individual, family, community, school or company. Get your free toolkit of resources at heart.org/MoveMoreToolkit. Or, hold an event (30-minute fun walk, educational event, fitness fair, etc.) and/or four-week activity challenge!

Join the national movement at heart.org/HealthyForGood and contribute to the conversation on social media using #HealthyForGood.