Over the years, I’ve had a “love/hate” relationship with working out. I know it’s important to get some sort of exercise on a daily basis for optimal health benefits and to boost your mood. But if you’re like me, you might think that exercise is all or nothing. For example, I used to think if I didn’t run several miles at a time, it wasn’t worth it. Walking wasn’t really “exercise” in my mind because I thought I needed to be completely winded, face beet red and sweating profusely for it to count as exercise. And as much as I tried, I never really loved running. Needless to say, I had a hard time making a habit out of running. Today, I’m more in the “love” part of my relationship with exercise…mostly because I finally found something that I genuinely enjoy. It turns out group classes are my thing and I’ve found a studio here in New Orleans (where I live) that I LOVE. Alot of classes to choose from and I never get bored.
But lately, I’ve been thinking alot about the idea of simple movement vs. exercise. We have all read the reports talking about how sedentary we are as a society. Some studies indicate that the average American sits for 10-15 hours a day. On top of that, we continue to increase our calorie consumption. And a lot of this is sugary, fatty processed food. No wonder more than half of the U.S. population is overweight or obese. We humans are built to MOVE, not sit around at computers or in front of TV all day (and night) long.
One of the main excuses we use for lack of exercise is time. We are all busy with work, school, parenting, etc. and then exhausted by the end of the day. But did you know that just 2-5 minutes of walking can undo an hour’s worth of sitting? It’s true! And I’m not talking about heart pumping, power walking. Just simply getting up and moving your body. According to this study, walking for just 2 minutes every hour can have seriously good benefits for your health, especially if you are sitting for most of the day. In addition to short amounts of walking, activities like gardening, cleaning, playing with your kids or even stretching are also beneficial. Other important benefits of simply moving your body include improved mood, more energy, better sleep and improved stability and balance. The important thing is to just get up and MOVE often and everyday.
So, what are some other ways you can get more movement into your daily routine? Try some of these simple ideas below!
- Do a five or ten minute yoga or stretching video. There are tons of these on YouTube.
- Set a reminder at the top of the hour to do 30 seconds of sit ups, arm circles, jumping jacks or squats. Anything to get the blood flowing!
- Take breaks throughout the day to just walk around the block.
- Walk around while you are on the phone.
- Play your favorite song and have a mini-dance party.
- Walk to do your errands whenever possible.
- Park farther away.
What are some ways you get simple movement into your day? Let me know in the comments!
