As New Year's resolutions roll around again, the vow to lead a more active lifestyle often tops the list - but it doesn't have to be tough to do, says a University of Alberta physical activity expert.
"Every step counts; what's important is to get up and do something you really like, because you'll continue to do it," says John C. Spence, a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation.
"It doesn't necessarily have to be about exercise that is planned and structured," he adds. "It can be walking, if able, from place to place as a form of transportation, or leisure activities where you're engaging with your children or friends in something that's fulfilling and fun."
Getting up and getting going, however we choose to do it, is becoming more important than ever, according to the 2025 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults, the most comprehensive evaluation of adult physical activity in Canada.
The report cites estimates that physical inactivity costs Canada $3.9 billion annually in avoidable health-care spending - but even a 15 per cent relative increase in being active could save nearly $1 billion each year by reducing rates of chronic diseases.
"We know physical inactivity has costs to the system for conditions like cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some aspects of mental health, such as dementia and depression," says Spence, chief scientific chair of the report.
Along with helping reduce strain on the health-care system, more physical activity also feels good at a community level, he adds.
"If we're out and about, going to the farmers' market or the mall, we may feel more connected to our neighbours; we're seeing other people and it contributes to a stronger sense of community."
Being more active also has global benefits, particularly related to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Spence notes.
"Physical activity, recreation and sport relate to many of these indicators, ranging from gender equality to climate action."
Boosting daily routines
On an individual level, the ParticipACTION report card reveals that Canadians need to brush up on being more active in their daily routines, and offers advice on simple ways to do that.
Step up: Just 32 per cent of adults took at least 7,500 steps per day; the report recommends that Canadians add another 500 to their daily routine.
"That's about five more minutes of walking," Spence notes. "It can be one more lap around the neighbourhood if you're walking the dog, or being intentional about going somewhere to walk around a bit."
Stay strong and balanced: Only 35 per cent of adults met recommendations for twice-weekly muscle-strengthening activities, while 31 per cent of people 65 and older reported doing exercises to strengthen core muscles needed for good balance and posture.
"Balance and strength are critically important for maintaining movement and for preventing falls, not just for older adults, but for everyone - once winter hits, for we've got to be mindful of slipping, for example. And maintaining muscle can help moderate the body's metabolism, to buffer the onset or effects of Type 2 diabetes."
Resistance training is key, Spence adds. "It can be lifting weights, doing sit-standing exercises from a chair, yoga, pilates, using a balance ball or even dancing, where you can be having fun at the same time."
Walk the walk: Whether it's biking or hiking to catch public trains or buses, 46 per cent of adults reported taking active transportation to get where they needed to go.
"There's a whole host of benefits, from increasing step count and improving heart health to helping the environment by reducing carbon emissions."
Get involved: Staying active by volunteering with community sport and recreation organizations is another worthwhile - and vital - way to become more active, Spence suggests.
The ParticipACTION report found that the sector has less than half of the volunteers it needs - 45 per cent - to serve their communities. "That's alarming, especially for rural or remote communities, where most sport and recreation programming can't operate without volunteers."
Besides providing opportunities for children, friends and neighbours, getting involved in a local sports league or organizing an event like a fun run is a handy way to get physically active, he notes.
"If you're refereeing a community league soccer game, you're going up and down the field with the kids, probably generating several thousand steps."
A co-ordinated effort to get us moving more
Governments, national and provincial sports organizations and employers can also do more to help their citizens get moving, the report suggests.
Recommendations range from providing standing desks at the office and more flexible scheduling and drop-in opportunities for recreational leagues, to designing pedestrian and bike-friendly neighbourhoods.
It's also important to co-ordinate policy around common themes found in Canada's sport, recreation and physical activity strategies, including the National Active Transportation Strategy, A Common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let's Get Moving, and the Framework for Recreation in Canada, Spence says.
"If we've got these strategies all saying we should be doing something about active transportation, for example, we can distil it down to recommended actions to take. That can result in benefits on the ground and significant impacts for individual Canadians."
