Physical activity has been shown to add years to your life, and life to your years. At Health Fitness Revolution, we are all about life balance, and we realize that being active isn’t just about running on a treadmill or lifting weights. Being truly healthy incorporates being more active day to day, and simply increasing the number of steps that you take each day is very likely to reduce your risk for diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Here are Health Fitness Revolution‘s 10 Easy Ways to Be More Active:
- Drink plenty of water: We wrote about the benefits of water here and we are not exaggerating when we reiterate it’s importance in maintaining your energy levels and being active! Also, staying well hydrated may also reduce feelings of hunger, and can often reduce chronic back pain. So this is really a win-win.
- Take the Stairs as Often as You Can: Even if it’s 10 floors, you will be better off for it. If you have to go up or down a distance that is too great for you to walk at the moment, walk the first few flights, then take the elevator the rest of the way. Remember, every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, you are making a decision that will positively affect your long term health.
- Park as Far From the Front Door as Possible: Whether you’re at the mall, work, or school, parking the car at the edge of the parking lot forces you to walk just a little bit further than you are used to. It will only add a few seconds to your trip, but if you do it everyday it could add years to your life. Also, the further you park, the less likely your car will get dinged!
- Clean Your House Thoroughly: Cleaning involves plenty of walking, lifting, and stretching – all of which are very good for your body.
- Garden: Yard work and gardening are great because not only do they increase your physical activity, but it also gives you an excuse to be outside. Pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedge, and raking leaves are all very physically taxing and like cleaning, they use a range of muscle groups.
- Cancel your Cable over the Summer: Time spent watching TV is directly correlated with disease. It’s not surprising when you think about it – the only time that most kids aren’t moving around is when they’re sitting in front of the TV. Taking away cable leaves more time for family activities, sports, reading, and healthy hobbies.
- Ride Your Bike instead of Driving: When you can, take your bike to get some groceries, or to your local cafe for an active, carbon-footprint free change.
- Have “walk-meetings”: Consider taking half your lunch break to go for a walk either alone or with someone else you work with. It will help wake you up for the afternoon, as well as giving you a chance to chat with your co-workers. Whenever you have to meet informally with co-workers, turn the meeting into a short walk. If it takes 5 minutes to discuss the project you are working on, that means you just got 5 extra minutes of physical activity!
- Go for a Family Walk after Every Dinner: This includes the dog! It doesn’t have to be far, just around the neighborhood… It’s another chance to spend some time together, get outside, and get some exercise all at the same time.
