How to add exercise to your day
In society we have an increase in technology, we have an increased inconvenience and we also have the means to increase our ability to skip regular exercise. Regularly skipping out exercise often makes us feel as though completing one workout is some sort of insurmountable task.
The reality is, doing 10,000 steps is a very simple thing to get done. It is easy to complete by doing regular everyday activities. And ultimately, we're actually aiming to have weight loss, it isn't quite enough for us to actually achieve the goals we want to achieve. But it does at least set a standard for us for how active we need to be so that we can have some sort of maintenance of standard sets of living for ourselves around balance and coordination and flexibility. Because these are things external to fitness programs that have to be there for us to simply be able to operate in a healthy state through all the stages of our life. As we grow older, we need to be able to be flexible, we need to be able to have balance because we're going to encounter pavements that are crooked, we can't as my minutes, whatever kind of slip or trick potentially, and fall and we need to be able to have the flexibility to be able to respond the balance to be able to stabilize ourselves. And the coordination to be able to do things quite simply. So the movement itself doesn't become an arduous task. And leaving just general day to day living is a simple moving process. So why is it that we then look at 10,000 steps, and we think, whoa, 10,000 steps that so far, it's, it's because we're so used to this technology, and to this reliance on it.
I've got a list of ways you can increase your steps daily to improve your health, start noticing positive energy shifts, and physical changes within yourselves over time.
Skip the escalators and take the stairs. Now a lot of people want to take this, take the escalator is when they're tired and exhausted. And perhaps when you're extremely tired, it's a great idea. However, skipping the escalators, or the lifts and taking the stairs, gives you a great workout. It's good for your legs, it's good for your body, it's good for your posture as well. And it's going to really help you to improve your cardiovascular style also because you're going up or you're going down there is increased load on your body because of the incline. So it's a perfect workout for free. And it's a simple way to test where your physicality is that there is a lot of people that finish a small floor of stairs, and they lose their breath. If you can get through a regular set of stairs without becoming short of breath then great. To extend yourself on the stairs you can: take two steps at a time instead of 1.
Using your feet to do small trips. If you live near a convenience store or I corner shop there is no need to actually go and get your car and drive there, there isn’t a need even if you have kids. It’s a great opportunity to get some steps in, break your mind from work or burn off some extra energy your kids have. To be able to do it you simply need to organize yourself a little more. Remember carrying back your items will give you a bit more exercise as well. It will also save you fuel money and reduce carbon emissions so it’s a win-win-win situation that can put more money back into your hip pocket
Carry your own groceries instead of using a trolley or basket. Even if you have an entire trolley of groceries, if you go shopping with family members, you can carry them back without needing a trolley. Leave the trolley at the shopping center and walk with your groceries in your hand to your car. It's amazing how people think that it's only the gym-goers who can carry four or five bags. The truth is, once you get in the practice of carrying bags of decent weight, you will easily be able to carry the vast majority of your trolley within your own two hands. So practice doing this and build up some strength within your arms as you go.
Another way to increase exercise is very, very simple- do not use your remote control in your house. Now yes, it's a bit of a pain in the butt. But if you think about it, if you select what you're going to watch, and you decide that you're going to stick with it then you don't need to get up all the time. Most people don't turn the mute off, necessarily. So there's no point in saying that's an argument for need the remote. Get up and change the channel or volume yourself. You have this capability even with the touch televisions people tend to have now.
Instead of calling neighbors or contacting them via social media walk to their place and see them. You’ll find the experience is far more conducive to friendly neighborhoods than impersonal social media or text messaging services as well.
When you book in catch-up with people make it physical. Instead of getting a coffee and sitting down again for an hour get your coffee for takeaway and go for a stroll at the beach or in a nearby park. It's great if you got young kids too because they will entertain themselves while you walk and talk. As an added bonus you’ll probably find your coffee is cheaper too because you ordered a takeaway so you can probably afford to do this one more often- woohoo for more steps and more cash!
Park your car far away from the entrance to the shopping center. Give yourself a longer walk in. It will actually give you more time to explain to the kids (if you have them) about how you want them to behave when they're in the shopping center and if your going solo it’ll allow you some time to think about what it is done you want to do while you are there here, it might also give you time to coordinate a catch up with a friend. Where are you going to meet up for lunch in the shopping center? What quick job list phone calls can you make from your car to the shopping center? Get them done at this time. Have your bond with your loved ones lately? Take the time for a chat during your walk, anytime is a great time to make an effort in your relationships. If you are still not sold on the long walk to the shopping center entrance remember how you can potentially protect your car by being further away from the high traffic areas of the car park! No one likes a trolley ding, or a rushed shopper opening their car door on your car carelessly because they are on a time limit!
One surprising way you can get more physical each day particularly if you work from home is to decide HOW you work. You can choose to stand and work. Right now I'm using an app that helps me to put this very blog post together, the app is called Otter. Otter transcribes what you speak into your mobile phone. I like to use it by walking around the house, the street or even the beach and talking my blog posts, project management tasks etc into the application. It gives me complete flexibility which feels fabulous when I’m starting to feel a little foggy after sitting at my computer for long periods of time. Because I am working I often forget how many steps I’ve done and then wallah my 15,000 (that’s my current goal) steps alarm goes off on my FitBit! #winning! To me, this IS the future: using technology to move and work simultaneously.
Invest in a computer-based game that has health benefits like the WiFit. The WiFit allows you to get interact with yourself, your family, and or your colleagues. You can play a game and easily forget that you are exercising as you get drawn into a competition or challenge.
When you take a break from work get out of your office, go and see someone in a different aspect of your organization. This will help your organization succeed as it will help build collegiality and staff morale. It is also going to improve your health, wellbeing & productivity because the walk gives you a complete break in your body, mind, and spirit from focussed, structured work.
The days, when you feel extra funky, walk to a green space where you can have some literal like green energy, so to speak; allow nature to positively impact your mindset. On your way there you will increase your step count.
Garden regularly. I always used to think that gardening was something that old people do. Then I realized when you pop music (or your favorite podcast) on, you go and do it, it becomes quite therapeutic because you get an end product. Gardening gives you get a really good workout, it's far more than just steps. In fact, people have proven through science that people get more workout from gardening than some sports they play for an hour! So this is definitely a great way to increase the steps & physical activity in your life on a regular basis.
Remove the robots from your house. People love robots, people love this capacity for things to become easier for them. As I shared with you before, I'm using a robot right now to help me to create this blog post. However, when it comes to sweeping and mopping the floor, I don't want anybody else to do that. I don't want a robot to do that for me, because:
* I'll probably have to go do parts of it again because it's not quite right because it is a machine after all.
Mopping and sweeping is a great opportunity, although not my favorite task, to get a bit of an arm workout & some more steps in my day. It is uncanny to look at a day where you don’t do any housework versus one that you do, there is a fundamental difference in how active we are and we don’t even have to try hard to achieve it, we simply have to be responsible adults getting stuff done. If you don’t believe me check your FitBit, Apple, or Garman fitness tracker out next time and compare the chore days and non-chore days for yourself!
When you live in a city walk to the end of the train platform. You know so many people get used to subconsciously finding that perfect place where you enter on the train platform so that you get off exactly where the stairs are and you walk straight out. I had it down pat in London and in Sydney, it's great during peak time but if you organize yourself better you will walk further. You may even find those zen carriages where everyone is quiet, respectful and seats still exist so you have time to chill out, relax and even meditate if you wish!
If a person that's even slightly older than you gets on the train and looks like they need a seat then offer them yours. You can do the same for those who are traveling a longer distance, free up the seat, and practice your balance as you move with the movement of the train. It’s super simple but a very effective way of ensuring you can remain well balanced throughout life. PS: If you don’t know already, the vast majority of older people have accidents because they do not have balance. You need balance for your whole life, it will positively impact your health in more ways than one.
When you are in a city instead of going to the closest station that's near your house, go to a station that's a little bit further away, and then walk to where you want to be. This is particularly useful if you have had a stressful day at work because you can clear your head before you enter your home & interact with your loved ones.
Ultimately there are so many of these different things you can do to add exercise to your day. The ones that I have shared with you will help you to achieve 10,000 steps at least per day. I’m also certain that once you pay attention to adding exercise to your day you will find that 10,000 steps is a far too easy goal and you can increase your target incrementally as you continue to commit to yourself. it’s important though to transfer the minutes of exercise or thousands of steps into something that’s more meaningful than just numbers. Below are some explorative questions you can ask yourself to make that process easier.
If you reach your 10,000 steps ask yourself these questions:
What stress do I no longer feel?
How did my exercise and headspace add positivity to my relationships?
How much improvement to your balance and lifelong health have you made?
How much more productivity did you experience in your day?
If you haven't done those 10,000 steps, almost 15,000 steps, or whatever your target is ask yourself these questions:
How many steps/exercise minutes did you not add to your day?
How much did you choose to limit your productivity?
How much did you choose to limit the way you feel in your relationships by choosing a less happy mood? And why did you want to do that to yourself?
Whether you have achieved your step goal or not ask yourself this:
How has that number of steps or those minutes of working out give you more value than just a flash of fireworks on your Fitbit screen or some pretty numbers to show off to your friends?
When you answer these questions on a regular basis CHOOSING to add exercise to your day is guaranteed to be easier. Enjoy it!
