• Build Back your Body
  Regular physical activity strengthens your heart, improves overall health, and helps repair damage caused by substance use.
• Move Your Mood
  Being active can improve your mood and help ease feelings of depression and reduce stress and anxiety during recovery
• Connect and Cope
  Group activities reduce isolation and foster supportive relationships while providing a healthy way to cope
• Find activitiesyou enjoy-everything counts
• Focus on consistency, not intensity. Regular movement matters more.
• Start Small-Even 5 minutes of movement counts and can build momentum
• Build activity into your day Take the stairs, park fartheraway, or stretch during breaks

Move more

• Physical activity can improve sleep, strengthen your heart, support your immune system, and increase our energy while reducing daily fatigue 
• Physical activity can improve focus, memory, and decision making for better recovery choices
• Physical activity can help reduce cravings and lower the risk of returning to substance use
• Exercise can help you better manage strong emotions like anger, frustration, or irritability
• Regular movement can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, which are common triggers for substance use
• Reaching physical activity goals can build confidence and help you feel better about yourself

Cardiovascular exercise (or cardio) includes activities
that raise your heart rate and breathing

• Helps reduce cravings and improves emotional regulation
• Improves sleep, energy, and overall health whilecreating positive dailystructure—supporting long-term recovery
• Boosts mood naturally and self-esteem by releasing endorphins and other “feel-good” brain chemicals that help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression

Weight bearing exercises are activies that work against gravity and strengthen bones and muscles by making them support your body weight

• Rebuilds physical strength and endurance that may have been lost during substance use
• Supports stronger, healthier bones by improving bone density
• Improves balance and coordination, which can help reduce risk of injury

• Sit Less: Limit screentime such as phones, television and computers 
• Move More: Take the stairs or stretch during commercial breaks
• Improve Balance: Try balancing activities like Tai Chi or even dancing
• Build Strength: Try activities like lifting weights, doing planks or yoga