10 Easy Ways To Move Your Body Every Day

10 Easy Ways To Move Your Body Every Day

Modern life can be both a blessing and a curse.  

We have invented and upgraded our workplaces and homes with easy-to-use machines or appliances that have made our life easier in so many ways. 

But there is a downside: some inventions and technology have reduced our opportunities to physically move throughout the day.  This has led to a pandemic of sedentary behaviour, weight gain and increased risk of chronic diseases.  

We speak about the importance of walking here and what we have lost as a result of lack of continuous daily movement throughout the day.  

Here are 10 EASY ways you can inject natural daily movement, and kick your sedentary lifestyle out the door:

1. Stack your day:  walk or cycle as you run errands.  
2. Park at a distance from your destination and walk.
3. Instead of driving, park near a bus/tram/train station and commute or cycle to work a couple of days a week.
4. Use a standing desk at work or make time for standing breaks after 15-30 mins of sitting.  This includes standing breaks when you are at home too. Try not to sit on the sofa for too long.
5. Encourage your colleagues to have meetings standing or meetings as you walk.
6. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. 
7. Sit on the floor as much as you can.  Sitting on the floor engages muscles differently, allows your pelvis to fall into a more natural way of sitting, compared to sitting passively on a chair or a sofa
8. Do house chores; cleaning, mowing the lawn, taking out trash all helps to move those muscles, and a bonus - a clean house at the end.
9. Move frequently used items in your kitchen, bathroom or bedroom to lower drawers/cupboards/shelves so you are forced to squat consistently to take them out.
10. Squat, lunge and stretch in the kitchen as you cook, make a cup of tea/coffee or prepare meals.   

By adding these small changes into your day, you will be increasing your opportunities of natural movement throughout the day. 

It may not seem like much when you take the stairs instead of the elevator or stand to have a meeting, or squat down to get items from lower cupboards - but by adding and stacking small changes to your day you will help to keep your muscles active, your body supple and less sedentary.  

Start with a couple of the changes isted above and add one more each week - before you know it you will be moving  (without too much effort and thought) leading you to a healthier lifestyle.   

Make a small change today and have no regrets tomorrow.