If you want to live a more active lifestyle then you may feel as though you need a fitness subscription or even a home treadmill to maintain your progress. This is not the case at all and there are other healthy habits to consider. High-intensity exercise is not the only way to keep your body moving. There are a ton of ways that you can incorporate movement into your routine, and you don’t even need to worry about going to the gym.
Upending your sedentary habits in favor of ones that are more active can yield some great results. People who live more active lifestyles tend to have a lower body weight and they are also at much lower risk of developing certain medical conditions. Small everyday changes can give your mental health a real boost as well, and this is great.
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How Active Do You Need to Be?
Everyone is different and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution here. As a general rule, you should be aiming for 150 minutes of intensive exercise a week, with two days dedicated to muscle-strengthening exercises. Brisk walking is yet another example of how you can help yourself.
You do need to bear your circumstances and health in mind. For example, if you’ve just had a baby or gone through surgery, you will need to be careful with your daily exercise. This is even true of cosmetic surgery. Speak to your doctor and look up information such as mommy makeover FAQs to work out the best way to take care of yourself.
If you’re unfit to start with, you might also need to build up your physical activity gradually. This stops you from hurting yourself, or getting discouraged when you’re finding it too difficult.
If you don’t feel as though you can dedicate a lot of time to keeping fit, then remember that any exercise is better than none. Even 10 minutes a day can give you some really good health benefits. A short walk is better than no walk at all.
Walking Meetings
Studies have shown that walking can increase your creative output by over 60%. If you want this to work in your favor then one thing you can do is make any meetings you take mobile. You will set the pace for your coworkers by doing this, and you can also help them to get their daily steps in too.
By walking during your meetings, you may find that you can give your team the fresh air they need, and you can also benefit yourself in more ways than one.
Housework is Important
House cleaning gives you the chance to refresh your space, and it also helps you to work your body. A bit of dishwashing after you have had dinner, or a rushed laundry spree can all elevate your heart rate.
You can burn a great deal of calories by simply taking the time to clean your home. On top of this, there are a number of health benefits that come from cleaning. You may find that you experience a reduction in anxiety, as well as a better mood.
Get Up During the Commercials
Since the TV was invented, people have had more reasons than ever to sit down. That being said, you do need to make sure you still move around. When the commercials or adverts come on, use it as a chance to do a series of stretches, or walk to the mailbox and back.
Little things like this may not feel as though they are going to change your life around, but that being said, they can make a huge difference. You won’t be doing a workout, but anything you can do to get your body moving is a very positive way for you to boost your endorphins as well as keeping yourself limber.
Motivate Yourself
You probably have a playlist or even a favorite podcast that you love tuning into. This is great, so use it to your advantage. Listening to something that interests you while you run on the treadmill can help to push you as you workout.
Moving to music is also great. When a song has a great groove, you might not be able to stop yourself from busting a move. If you can do this then you will be able to motivate yourself while also being able to burn extra calories.
Match your Activity
If you don’t have a gym membership that’s fine – there’s nothing wrong with that. That being said, it is important that you match your activity to your environment. Take note of your location and make a note of what activities could be a natural fit for you.
If you live very close to the mountains then you can take advantage of the occasional hike. If you live in a busy urban center, then how about exploring some of the neighborhoods on foot?
Taking into account your surroundings can open up brand-new activities for you, so be mindful of that if you can. If you don’t have a dog and want to be more active then now could be the time for you to change that and make your new pooch one one of your brand new healthy habits.
Take the Long Route
If you can, take the long route as one of your new healthy habits. If you know that you always take the elevator over the stairs then now is the time for you to change that. Make the effort to park further away from the grocery store as well if you want to get more steps in on a daily basis. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is easier for you to increase your fitness.
Not only are little changes like this good at increasing your fitness, they help you to work on your mindset, as you will have small added challenges in the day. This could give you a new perspective on other aspects of your life as well.
Stretch in the Morning
You don’t have to start the day by doing an hour of yoga. You also don’t need to devote hours on end doing a fitness DVD. You do however need to give your body a good stretch in the morning and make it one of your healthy habits.
A brief morning stretch will help you to limber up your muscles and it will also improve your circulation in general. Studies have shown that those who stretch during the day end up being able to reduce pain while increasing flexibility. It could make a difference to how you feel as well, so keep that in mind.
Get the Family Involved
Try and do what you can to get the whole family involved where possible. Making being more active a family affair will working your favour. If you have kids then make a routine of going for a walk after dinner. You might also want to play physical games, such as hide and seek. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is possible to keep everyone moving.
Getting physical with your pet is another good way to get up and moving. Throwing a ball for your dog or taking them on long walks will give you and them a rush of endorphins, especially if you get the whole family involved.
Get a Bike
If you want to be more active while reducing your carbon emissions then another thing you can do is get a bike. When you get a bike, you will soon be able to cycle to work or even around your local area. This is one of the most healthy habits you can incorporate into your lifestaye and it can be fun too.
You can run errands, avoiding the car whenever possible. If you can do this for a little while then you will soon find that it becomes second nature. This means you won’t have to try as hard when it comes to getting to where you need to be, so make sure that you keep that in mind as it could make a major difference to your life in general.
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