5 little things you can do to be more active - even if you hate exercise
How many times have you heard it… you need to do more exercise? Or told yourself “you should join a gym or go for a walk”? Yet we still struggle to get the motivation even when we know the benefits of exercise.
Often when life changes or gets busy we don’t notice how much we are not doing. I myself used to walk from my house to the train to go into the city. Then when life changed and I was no longer in the city 5 days a week I lost my 20 minutes combined walk each day. I didn’t realise this until a few months later when I was feeling a bit yuck and not sure why.
So here are some simple ways to get you more active.
Walk don’t dawdle
Walking is great, it's free, it can be done nearly anywhere and it is an easy activity to add into your day.
But pick it up a notch, try some brisk walking to get your heart rate up and improve many aspects of your health.
Find something you enjoy doing
It is a lot easier to be more active if you enjoy doing it.
Think about a club or a fun friend you can bring along to give you some time to have fun and enjoy being active.
Something I’ve tried, which gets you moving and having a little fun is, Just Dance videos on Youtube. You can dance along to a range of songs, by yourself or with others. After you’ve done a few you may feel your heart rate increase, all while having a bit of fun.
Look for opportunities
At Shopping Centres, some train stations, you can still take the escalator. But why not be one of those people that walks up the escalators as they move.
Not only do you get there faster, but you’ve done some decent stair climbing. Always ensure it is safe to do so.
Think about what is around you and how you can kick the “can’t be bothered” out of your head and maybe not take the shortcut through the park but around it. Can you park 2 blocks further back? Could you use the toilet at the other end of the building?
You choose the definition of exercise
Many struggle with “exercise” because they find it boring, tiring, repetitive... so change it up. Meet a friend for a walk - time will fly and you’ll want to keep walking just so you can keep chatting.
Need something quick and small at the milk bar or shops - walk down to the shop.
Take the kids to a park or even in the back yard and play tag. Take the dog to the beach and run around with them and play.
Getting up and being active or doing some exercise basically means you have to be moving and increasing your heart rate… it doesn’t matter how you do it
Don’t be stopped when there is a set back
We can’t always control everything, you may be forced to stay back from work, the weather may limit what you can do, it may be dark when you get up in the morning or you may have an injury.
But what can YOU do about it? Think what options there are… try a workout online, is there an inside sporting event on that night, can you exercise another part of your body that isn’t injured?
The benefits of exercise include better sleep, more energy, stronger bones and muscles, it reduces the risk of some cancers, diabetes and heart conditions.
The Australian Government Department of Health recommends 150 minutes of exercise over a week.
That's just 21 minutes a day! OR two, 11 minutes sessions a day.
Does that really sound so hard? You probably spend more time on social media!
So here is your challenge: can you get to 150 minutes a week? Remember it’s just 2 sessions of 11 minutes a day. You can do that!
If you have any concerns about your health please speak to your health provider such as a GP or Osteopath to help support your health journey.
By Mariella