Simple Ways to Get Moving

We all go through periods of time where we fight that epic daily battle.  You know the one I am talking about… “Working out vs. relaxing” or “Starting a workout program vs. waiting another day/week/month.”

Last Thursday night while listening to discuss wellness based exercise at our , she covered this topic more perfectly than I had ever heard it addressed in my life.  Ashley acknowledged the all-too-common dilemma we all face every day, and gave a very simple solution.  She introduced the idea that we brush our teeth every day.  We do this because we have made it a daily habit.  Ashley went on to ask “Why isn’t exercising for 3 minutes one of our habits?!”  She brought up the point that, 3 minutes is a very short period of time, so why not start with that?  Then, if after 3 minutes you want to be done, GREAT!  You still moved for 3 minutes!  And if you want to keep going, EVEN BETTER!

So, having been inspired by Ashley, I thought of a few ways that I can multi-task (a habit I admittedly do very poorly).  Beginning the process of moving can start anyone towards a wellness based lifestyle.  Since every little bit counts, here are a few small ways that we can implement more movement into our daily habits:

• Shut off the Twins game -  It has become somewhat of a ritual for me.  I get home, make a quick dinner and begin the long night of making sure my couch doesn’t run away while watching the Twins game.  Although it likely isn’t the Twins game for everyone, most of us likely spend some time in the evening watching TV.  Try turning it off and spend some time being active with the family.  It could be simply playing catch with your kids, going for a walk with your spouse or tying on those runners and hitting the pavement.  Just about anything is better than holding down the couch.

• Clean the House – now this idea sounds boring, but just think, you’re getting exercise AND creating a better living environment for others.  Although these are not incredibly intense activities, they will help to create a sense of accomplishment and will still burn more calories than sitting around.

• Create a List of Daily Activities – Begin this process by listing out all of the activities that you perform on a given day.  When the list is complete, take a look at it.  Is the bulk of your day filled with time spent sitting?  If so, make another list of things you could do to move more.  Some examples are; if you work in an office, you could try getting up every 30-45 minutes to stretch or just simply move around the office (you will likely feel a bit more energized when you sit back down too!), take the stairs instead of the elevator or park in the back of the parking lot instead of trying to find the space closest to the door.

• Pace While You Talk – most of us spend at least 10 minutes on the phone during the day.  When you are chatting, try to pace around or do some cleaning.  This is a simple way to keep moving while catching up with an old friend.

These small things are very simple ways to begin to introduce regular movement into your routine.  I do not recommend that they make up the majority of your exercise program of course, but it just might be a step towards a healthier life.  For more great recommendations, take a look at some of .