Tag: movement
Three Ways to Move More
We all know that physical activity is good for us, but it can be a challenge to fit fitness into a busy schedule. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults accumulate 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 minutes of vigorous) physical activity every week. This may seem like a lot, but every minute adds up! Activity bursts of five minutes here and there throughout your day accumulate to help you reach your movement goals. Here are three simple ways to add more movement to your day!
Set an Alarm Use an app on your smart phone or set periodic appointments on your calendar to remind yourself to stand up at least once every hour. Movement breaks can include standing to stretch, a quick walk around your office, or some chair squats to really get the blood flowing!
Be an Ele-voider If you think you don’t have time to take the stairs, think again! A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed that taking the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator saved about 15 minutes each workday. That’s a 3% savings of time per workday, which could translate into more productivity as well as increased fitness.
Take Your Breaks Break times and lunch hours are the perfect opportunity to get some movement in! Make it a goal to get up and walk for 10-15 minutes each day during lunch. After the work week you will have added 50-75 minutes of activity to your weekly total! The added bonus is that mid-day activity has been shown to boost mood and increase one’s ability to manage stress.
Too much chair time?
- Fidget
- Walk faster
- Tap your leg
- Drink more water
- Do some squats in your office
- Take a walking break; even 5 minutes matters
- Stretch!
- Play foot alphabet
- Do arm circles
Spring into action!
- Clear the clutter at home and on your desk
- Clean out your “food drawer” at work…add some healthy snacks
- Commit to your water bottle
- Move it!
- Visit a garden center…summer is a great time to learn to cook with herbs
- Let your inner child play – jump rope, ride a bike, skip stones, throw a ball for the dog
- Commit to “eat clean” one meal a week
- Eat more fish
- Get on top of your weight creep – now!
- Get a walking partner
- Challenge your brain every week through books, puzzles, and games
- Commit to your tracking device – use it
- Enjoy the fresh fruits and veggies starting to pop out in stores and gardens
Don’t be a bear.
- Create a home gym with easy-to-use, affordable equipment (soup cans, detergent bottles, balance ball, jump rope, resistance bands, kitchen chair, stairs, doorframe, broom …)
- Get outside once a day but dress for cold weather
- Do your chores to music – step up and MOVE
- Be healthy – clean out your pantry; check those food product dates
- Walk the mall or the airport (if you are traveling)
- Stay Active
- Read or listen to a book
- Play a board game; set a puzzle
- Check out these Ways to Keep Kids Busy Indoors
- A few more ideas…Treasure Hunts, Indoor Obstacle Course, Dance Off and more!
Housewalking. Try it.
- Get a fitness tracker to track your steps and calories burned
- Get a spill-proof water bottle to carry around
- Decide: do you want to walk in place or around your house; either works
- Decide: which of your at-home activities should be automatic walking opportunities?
- Put an “are you walking?” note in areas where you typically just stand or sit…the recliner, the stove, the sink, the fridge
- Set a goal – try to rack up 500 steps each time you housewalk
- Examples of housewalking opportunities: on the phone, watching TV, cooking, brushing your teeth, listening to music, cleaning
- Get friends involved – start a challenge
- Make it FUN!
Built to Move
No time for the gym?
- A set of 3-pound weights or cans; use while on the phone, while seated on a stability ball, while watching TV
- A sturdy chair or stool
- A yoga mat and foam roller – watch your favorite show from the floor!
- A stability ball; there’s one at nearly every garage sale! Stability balls bring on laughter while strengthening muscles
- A set of elastic thera-bands; they come in different colors/strengths and they’re great for stretching while sitting or standing
- Don’t care for thera-bands? Choose exercise bands with handles on the ends
- If simple is what you want, forget all the equipment and plug in a walking DVD. In 15 minutes or less you can have a good little workout (these are great for the office as well!)
- Broom handles are good tools to use across your shoulders, draping your arms over the tops then slowly stretching your waist and sides
- Stationary bikes are perfect for TV watching. Be sure you get a good fit for your back and your posterior; it’s got to be comfortable for you. Many stationary bikes are more affordable than a year’s gym membership!
- Don’t forget your measuring tools: pedometer, tape measure, scale, BP monitor, tracking sheet
Ready for fall cleanup?
- Dust off your fitness club membership
- Check your walking shoes for a good fit
- Locate your walking hat, gloves, and flashing safety lights
- Call your walking partner; set a date
- Refresh your sunscreen (yes, you still need to wear it!)
- Get your cholesterol and glucose (blood sugar) checked
- Have your blood pressure checked
- Write down your weight and waist measures; measure against them every 1-2 months
- Get a flu shot!
- Check your immunizations…shingles, tetanus, pneumonia
- Schedule your preventive health checks: teeth cleaning, PSA, mammogram, pap smear, colonoscopy
- Stock your pantry with high energy foods
Don’t just sit there. Move something!
Healthy Holiday Gifts
- Air popper and popcorn
- Basket of whole grains
- Tea pot, juicer, or smoothie maker
- Seeds for next spring’s garden
- Walking DVD
- Reflective clothing/flashing lights for after-hour walks
- New leash for the dog (get the connection?)
- Pedometer, hand warmers, hat, gloves, scarf
- Hand weights, yoga mat
- Subscription to a healthy magazine/website
- Health related book: herbs, gardening, clean eating, stretching
- Meditation CD, soothing sound machine
- Massage or aromatherapy candle
- Insulated water bottle (BPA free!)
- Natural lip balm
Take it outside!
Winter got you tied up in knots?
Simple Choices
- Go to bed! Get ½ hour to an hour more sleep than you are currently getting
- Floss your teeth – daily
- Brush your teeth – twice daily, not once but twice
- Move it, move it, move it throughout the day. Stand more, walk more, fidget more. Don’t save it for the gym.
- Wear your seat belt, always.
- Make an appointment for that one preventive health check you have been avoiding
- Give up the tobacco
- Do something every day that brings you pleasure…read, laugh, sing, nap, meditate, relax
- Buy a good pair of walking shoes and use them
- Know your blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose numbers; write them down
- We are what we eat. Cut back on one of your less healthy food addictions…sweets, fats, breads…
- Sugary drinks are just plain bad. Stop it.
Last-minute gifts…with a healthy twist!
Sitting Disease?
- Workrave.org customize this computer desktop reminder; it’s not a memory hog so it lives well on your desktop
- Leslie Sansone Walk at Home, Burn Body Fat, DVD, 1, 2, and 3 mile walks ($9.99). I use this in my office at break or over the noon hour. These power walks are 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes. Choose the walk that fits your mood.
- Fitbit a great way to track movement including steps; they also have a new pedometer called the Zip