Anyone who has been looking for the perfect excuse to get back into shape can use National Fitness Day as a catalyst for their plans. This holiday falls on the first Saturday in May and gives people the opportunity to renew their fitness goals and make positive changes in their lives to stay healthy. And it’s easier than most people think—it would be—all they have to do is take the first step and make the decision to participate in healthy activities on this day.

National Fitness Day History

Even though National Fitness Day is often attributed to Kim Bielak, who allegedly began this holiday in 2017, there are instances of fitness days happening way before then. A notable celebration of the holiday was in the United Kingdom in 2014 when an event was started in London’s Covent Garden.

Fun Facts About Fitness

Sometimes all the motivation a person needs to get moving and keep moving is learning a little bit about fitness and the human body. To help everyone become more active, we’ve decided to list some fun fitness facts that should help everyone get up off the couch and motivate them to get moving.

• The average person will walk approximately 70,000 miles during their lifetime.
• The heart is the strongest muscle in the entire body.
• The human body burns an extra 50 calories for every pound of muscle gained.
• Everyone can begin exercising in some way, no matter their age or size.
• People who exercise for an hour a day, seven days a week, are 40% less likely to die early.
• Regular physical activity can help a person sleep better at night.
• Only 10% of people are capable of losing weight by just changing their diet.
• Even as little as 10 minutes of physical activity a day can have beneficial effects.
• A brisk walk burns almost as many calories as jogging the same distance.
• It takes approximately 6-8 weeks for the human body to adapt to an exercise program.
• Weight training can increase the number of calories a person burns while resting.

Observing National Fitness Day

Although people can certainly spend this day learning about the human body and the impacts that exercise has on it, we feel the best way to celebrate National Fitness Day is by getting out there and moving. Starting an exercise program is a great way to celebrate this holiday, and if you’re already active, then be sure to pat yourself on the back. And once you’re done working out, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalFitnessDay to encourage friends and family to get out there and get active. After all, an active life is most certainly a healthy life.