4 Ways to be Active
My motivation to stay physically active tends to have a way of coming and going. Can anyone else relate?? Despite that, here are a few ways that I have found helpful in my quest to stay active especially when the weather is colder.
Recruit the troops. Find others that have similar goals to you and ask them to spend time being active with you. One winter a group of us at work spent 30 minutes of our lunch break being active. We took turns planning the activity, which usually involved some sort of workout DVD. We’ve even had someone come and teach yoga over lunch. Working out in groups will keep it fun and help hold you accountable.
Turn up the tunes and just dance! Dancing is an excellent way to burn calories and put a smile on your face at the same time. Spend whatever extra time you have dancing – maybe it is just 5 or 10 minutes, but it will get your heart rate up and improve your mood. I once walked in on a co-worker dancing as she waited for the copy machine to finish. I just smiled and she said she was just using the time she had to move a little. Another fun time to dance is when you’re cooking. Instead of standing in front of the stove, turn on the tunes and move a little!
Bundle up and head outside. Sometimes the fresh air is all we need and it is worth putting on an extra layer or two. Walking in snow will burn extra calories too. If you have kids, or even if you don’t, build a snow fort or start an impromptu snowball fight. Don’t forget shoveling the driveway counts as physical activity too.
Do something different. If you normally walk, try joining a group fitness class at a local gym. Or if group classes aren’t your style, try focusing on getting your kids active and just join in with them (think jump rope, hula hoop, playing soccer, etc.) Family competitions can also be a fun way to increase activity. The change of pace will add variety and work different muscle groups that you may have forgotten about. Sometimes we hesitate on trying new things because we don’t want to be embarrassed in front of others, but in my experience, everyone else will have similar concerns and will be more worried about themselves than you.
How much is enough? The Physical Activity Guidelines recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic or aka “cardio” per week, plus 2 days per week of muscle strengthening activities (be sure to engage all major muscle groups including legs, hips, back, abdomen, arms, shoulders and chest).
If 150 minutes sounds like too much, break it down into 10 minute increments. Don’t feel like you have to start out at 150 minutes if you haven’t been active lately. Set a small realistic goal and progress from there. No matter what your current fitness level is, you can start somewhere. If you have concerns, talk with you doctor before increasing your activity level.
What about the kids? Kids need to be active for 60 minutes everyday. Be sure to include muscle strengthening (think gymnastics or push-ups) and bone strengthening (think running or jumping rope) activities into that 60 minutes. If you need a little inspiration to get your kids moving, try these ideas from Healthy Eating for Families. Sometimes one of the best approaches is to think about reducing sedentary time and replacing it with something more active. Here are some helpful ideas to get your kids unplugged from electronics.
