Move It To Lose It!
April 25, 2013Every move you make is helping your body slim down and firm up. Every breath you take, muscle you move, step you take...it all adds up.
“But I don’t have time!”
We all say this, and with today’s on-the-run life-styles this statement is often too true. But you can make small changes to put a little more oomph in your movement to get more benefit from the work you’re already doing.
- Park further away- Give yourself more distance between your car and destination. Walking gives you some down time to get your thoughts together. Don’t think about the extra steps as extra work! Instead, make it a moving meditation: Take time to appreciate the world around you.
- Pack and Play- Walking with weights burns more calories and builds more muscles. You can use actual weights or pack a backpack of items you need or even pick up a child and carry them the distance. If you’d rather not carry a kid, try playing like one- skip down the street, jump in puddles of water, or find a soccer ball to kick around.
- Walk away- The next time you stick that key in the ignition to travel just a few blocks, consider walking the distance. It’s better for you and better for the environment. If it’s too far to walk, ride a bike.
- Get Cooking- In the kitchen, if it’s electric, it’s taking away your opportunity to firm up your arms. Use the old fashioned can opener. Chop the vegetables by hand. Whip the eggs with a fork.
- Short Circuits- Circuit training in the gym is nothing more than doing short spurts of medium-to-intense exercise. You can perform short circuits at home or at the office. Do jumping jacks between calls, jog in place during commercials, lift a load of laundry like you’d lift weights.
- Do your chores- Vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, dusting all get your heart rate pumping. Reach up high to clean off the ledges and down low to get the baseboards. Your house and your health will thank you for it.
- Pet Projects- Take your pet for a walk. Put a little more pizazz in brushing he or she. Play tug-o-war or tag with your puppy. Move around the house with a feather to delight your kitten or do your stretches with a length of yarn to watch it jump for it.
Exercise doesn't need to be by the book or by the clock. Just putting a little more motion into your daily activity can make all the difference.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cathy Wilson, PCC, BCC, had RNY surgery in 2001 and lost 147 pounds. Cathy is a regular contributor to the OH Blog and authored the "Mind Matters" column in ObesityHelp Magazine. Cathy is a licensed pilot and loves flying. She is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC).Read more articles by Cathy! |
