At least an hour a day

Getting enough exercise is really important for health. Current recommendations are that teenagers should get at least an hour of exercise each day.

This hour can be made up of various shorter sessions throughout the day. You don’t have to do it all at once!

You should be exercising enough to breathe more heavily than normal and get a bit warmer so things like a brisk walk to school or a game of football or some energetic dancing really helps.

Exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, have stronger bones and muscles and be happier as well as setting down good patterns for adult life.

Getting more exercise isn’t difficult. Find out what’s going on at your local leisure centre. Join a sports club at school. Get out with your friends at weekends and go for a cycle or a walk together.

Exercise doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Dancing and skipping are good for building up healthy bones. Football is good too.

Remember that the hour of exercise can be made up of shorter sessions so that ten minutes outside kicking a ball or dancing about the house really helps.

Calories Burned Chart

Different kinds of physical exercise burn up calories at different rates. Check out this table to discover how many calories your favourite exercise uses up.