Demystifying Being More Physically Active

Physical activity is defined as any voluntary bodily movement that requires energy.  It encompasses all activities performed at any intensity.

Physical activity is conscious movement, and we can move in many ways.

Becoming more physically active does not mean you have to make time for an hour of strenuous exercise every day, it does not have to be a chore.

You can also increase your movement throughout your daily routine by adopting “Movement Snacks” in your daily routine.

A Movement Snack is a small amount of movement to give your body a break from rest and the benefits of these are cumulative – they all add up.

The benefits of this include, improved cardiovascular health, improved muscle strength, better flexibility and joint mobility, reduction in pain and stiffness, improved mental wellbeing and cognition, boosts energy and promotes consistency and habit formation.

Some ways you can incorporate movement snacks can be:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park a little further away.
• Get off the bus a stop or two early on your commute
• Take the scenic route to work if you walk already rather than the quickest way.
• Standing up from your desk every hour and walking up and down the stairs at home or in the office, walk to the end of your driveway or a lap of the carpark. Even stand up, stretch and walk around your desk.
• Can you take that work call on a walk – walk and talk.
• Between calls or meetings do 10 high knees / jumping jacks or jog on the spot
• Do some push-ups on the kitchen counter while your stirring the dinner
• Grab a few squats while you wait for the kettle to boil. Don’t ever be afraid to start with one rep of these exercises, one builds to 2 and so on and so forth.
• Before you open that can of beans get in a few bicep curls
• Sitting down to dinner, fancy a few chair squats before you tuck in.
• Get in some stretching, stand up from your desk, stretch your arms over head, reach down for your toes, perform some gentle neck rolls, take in a child’s pose or downward dog.
• While sitting at your desk, do some seated leg raises, or glute squeezes.
• Dance it out, put on your favourite song and dance it out your style.

These are just a few ideas of how you can add in movement breaks in your day.  Now, try and think of ways that you can incorporate them and other movements you like into your day.

Set a movement alarm on your phone or laptop every hour to remind you to move a little and live a lot.