4 Strategies to Help You Move More!
Canadians sit almost 10 hours each day according to GetCanadaStanding.org.
Think about it - You sit to eat your meals (as you should!) then sit at a desk to work for 8+ hours, sometimes even skipping meals or avoiding the bathroom because you are too busy to get up. After your kids have gone to bed, you retreat to the couch to relax and watch some Netflix then you drag yourself to bed. Next day you do it all over again.
Many studies suggests that sitting for more than 4 hours each day leads to:
Slower metabolic rate which means you will burn less calories.
Disrupted blood sugar levels, which leads to cravings, anxiety, nervousness.
Increased blood pressure: headaches, shortness of breath, irritability.
And our muscles and bones become weaker: use it or lose it, right?
The WHO recommends that adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, that is about 22 minutes a day. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis, and dancing; as well as resistance exercises such as lifting weights are recommended to slow down bone loss associated with age.
Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve every aspect of our health: not only help us maintain a healthy weight but it impacts how we feel and how we think.
Here are my top 4 strategies to help move our bodies more:
1. Schedule it and be prepared. Put it on your calendar and treat it like a very important appointment because it is! Find a 15-minute slot in your day when you are more likely to exercise. Early in the morning, during lunch break, after the kids have gone to bed. Have your shoes, workout clothes and water bottle ready.
2. Choose an aerobic activity that you enjoy: power walking, biking, gardening, swimming, dancing or yoga. If you enjoy it, it will be easier to make it a habit.
3. Go for trigger workouts. Or mini workouts. Workouts don’t have to be long if you don’t have the time. You can spread them out throughout the day. To give you a few examples: before a big meeting you could do a 5 minute routine, 10 squats and 10 jumping jacks. Or put on some music while cooking and bust a move.
4. Join a class. There are lots of free resources on YouTube just waiting for you but if you need more structure and accountability then join a class you like. If you are curious about strength training, check our bootcamp details below.
