Brigitte EvansMany of us take the new year as an opportunity to change something in our lives. Some of us set up resolutions and others simply get the needed gear and try to implement some new habits. For a lot of people, the main goal is being more active, and it’s no surprise why: we’re moving less than ever before, and it’s starting to take a toll on our bodies. But we still live the super-busy lives that prevent us from being active in the first place, so how can we get the best of both worlds and get our exercise in without cutting back the hours at work?
Use your breaks
You sit at your desk for several hours and then you have a lunch break where you… sit some more? Instead of using your lunch to sit and chat with colleagues, find a gym that is nearby your workplace and use the break to get a quick workout in. Don’t go for something too intense, because you should feel awake and energized when you go back to the office – not exhausted. If you don’t have enough time or you’re afraid of getting too sweaty or tired, at least try to go for a walk around the block.
Change your way of transportation
Imagine if every time you took your car, the bus or tube, you’re actually on a bike? Of course, it’s not always possible to get to your destination on foot or by bike, but we all rely on our cars and public transportation so much that we forget our feet can get us places too. Try to plan out your day so that you walk and bike as much as possible, or have a few days of the week where you leave your car keys at home and don’t use any transportation at all.
Make it a habit to move
The best way to stay active is to make a habit out of it, and to do that, you have to make it as easy as possible to just get up and move. As an obvious example, if you don’t have comfortable shoes, you’re going to be discouraged to go for a walk, but if you have something like walking sneakers from Skechers in Australia, you will enjoy every step. You can also prepare some clothes in the evening, so when you wake up you can just throw them on and go for a morning jog. After setting an alarm and reminding yourself to do it for about three weeks, it will become a habit and you won’t be able to start your day without it – your body will simply crave the activity.
Make daily chores more intense
You could sweep all of your floors and not feel like you’ve done a thing, or you can do it and feel like you’ve run a marathon – it’s all about how intense you make the chore itself. For example, if you are cleaning your house, giving yourself a time limit that is shorter than what it usually takes you to clean will make you do it a lot faster and be more active while you’re doing it. You can do this with everything from cleaning to cooking dinner. Making bread by hand is an excellent exercise, and you can burn nearly 500 calories in two hours of baking! If you have kids, instead of playing inside or sitting and watching while they’re playing outside, play with them – it’s good for both of you.
Staying active is the first step to living a healthier life overall. If you’re young, you might not feel the strain that you are putting on your body by not being active enough, but it will all add up at some point, and you don’t want to sit and wait for that to happen. You don’t have to hit the gym every day, just half an hour of moderate exercise is enough to get you started on the right path.
Taper Up Team