Getting your body moving is one of the best things you can do for your long term health, your energy levels, and your sense of confidence. We live in a sit-down society – where we work all day on our butts, then spend a seated hour driving home, only to plant ourselves in front of TV for the evening.
It’s something we all know is important, but being active often takes a low spot on our priority list. Here are 5 quick tips for keeping your blood pumping and brain clear:
1. Stretch. Spend 10-15 mins first thing in the morning doing some stretches. Swing your arms around, do a couple of lunges, reach up high and bend down to touch your toes … it doesn’t have to be a fancy routine, just working out the kinks from sleeping will get you off to a good start.
2. Take the furthest car park. Instead of spending 20 mins circling around and around hoping to swoop in on some leaving shopper’s space, park far away. Make the most of the brisk walk in and out of the supermarket – think of it as a mini-workout.
3. Join a class. There is much to be said for group motivation. Committing to a class and paying for it makes you 95% more likely to show up than if you promise yourself you’ll go for a run three times a week. Try hip hop, cycling (spin) class, kick boxing, Zumba, fencing, karate … if it’s something you’ve never done before, even better!
4. Love stairs. Elevators are a useful, but lazy invention. Next time you’ve got a meeting on the 4th floor, take the stairs. Treat each step as a helpful fitness friend.
5. Dance! Put on music while you’re cooking dinner and bust out a few moves in between stirring. If you work from home, take a few minutes every couple of hours to groove around your office. Skip while you walk, spin while you wait, step while you watch the news – it’s fun, it gets your heart rate up, and it’s 100% free.
People often put themselves in the ‘not-sporty’ box (Me? Join your casual netball team? Oh no, I’m not one of those sporty people, I’m too un-coordinated!), and think this limits how active they can be. You don’t have to be an All Black to lead an active life – just try incorporating some of these little energy-boosters in your day and see how much better you feel.
Be Active.
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