Written by IHRSA
When it comes to promoting the health benefits of physical activity to Americans, we need to stop thinking in terms of “awareness.” Polls indicate that Americans have heard the message. And in a culture that feeds on controversy, the notion that exercise is good for health remains one of the last points of consensus, at least in broad strokes.
But, still, too few Americans live healthy, active lives. Evidence indicating that exercise can prevent or mitigate nearly every major disease is simply not persuasive enough. Even appealing to vanity – “hey, you’ll look better” – barely moves the needle, if at all, over the long run.
IHRSA believes that exercise is a highly individualized pursuit fueled by personal motivations and emotions that go well beyond the prospect of disease prevention.
Sure, the prospect of warding off cancer or diabetes plays a significant role, but the more important motivator is “why” we want to ward off cancer or diabetes.
For some, the “why” might be a child or loved one, a career, the feeling of waking up with energy, or even just the age old fear of sickness.
The motivations are endless and timeless.
And those motivations inspired IHRSA to launch a social media campaign, #WhyGetActive, in conjunction with National Physical Fitness & Sports Month.
The goal of the campaign—which revolves around everyday people sharing their answers on social media to the question, “Why do you Get Active?” – is to provide a platform for sharing individual motivations and encouraging inactive people to find their own.
To see the power of #WhyGetActive in action, simply visit whygetactive.org.
Though the campaign was begun by IHRSA, we hope to see the movement take on a life and spirit of its own as individuals and organizations adopt #WhyGetActive with the common goal in mind: To foster a culture of wellness, where physically active lifestyles are encouraged, supported, and easy to sustain.
Visit whygetactive.org for more information, to see what others are doing with their #WhyGetActive posts, and to learn how you can share your message as part this campaign for a healthier, more active world.
The basic “how to” directions are to either write on a whiteboard or a PDF template why you pursue an active life. Take a photo and share on social media using the hashtag #WhyGetActive. Or share a photo of yourself doing a favorite type of exercise using the #WhyGetActive hashtag. Ask your friends, family and co-workers to do the same.