14 May Move It
In honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, let’s talk about how you can work your body without planning to. There are ways to burn extra calories throughout your day by just doing normal tasks. It only takes conscious, minor adjustments throughout your day at work and at home.
Every move your body makes is beneficial. So move it more.
- Walk or bike when you can. Think of times when a car is not necessary to get to your destination.
- Park in the spot farthest away from the door, at least at your job.
- Use stairs instead of the elevator. We all know this one.
- Take a stretch at your desk – even while sitting you can do this.
- Have good posture. Remember to sit up straight in your chair, always, and walk with your shoulders back, head up straight (good for your confidence and appearance.)
- Get up out of your chair and make individual trips to the copier, bathroom, break room, instead of combining trips.
- Play with kids. Talk about getting a workout! And every age group presents its own brand of physical activity to challenge you.
- At home, talk yourself out of being too tired to get the chores done. The more laundry you fold, trash you empty, etc., the more you are moving and the more calories you burn. And you’ll be happy when your day is done that your housework is, too.
With the above said, please, please make time in your day – every day – to exercise. It is important to schedule a time to engage in physical activity like walking, biking, playing a sport, to increase your heart rate for 30 minutes or more, and exercise your muscles in order to keep your body healthy. If you can’t fit in a block of time, do short activities throughout the day, 10 minutes at a time.
The key is to schedule regular exercise, and be conscious of your movement throughout the day, so that physical activity is your lifestyle, not another task on your to-do list.