Keeping yourself fit and healthy doesn't have to mean formal exercise. An active lifestyle can play an important role. If you get creative, you will find ways to incorporate movement into almost everything you do. Here's some suggestions to get you started and help you boost your activity level. If you make a conscious effort to integrate more activity into your daily life, it will become second nature. Give some of these suggestions a try:
· Walk as much as possible by parking the car a few blocks away from where you're headed or walk to an appointment from your office instead of driving. Whenever you're walking try to focus on long strides and a quicker than normal pace. This gets the heart rate going a bit faster than just meandering along.
· Take the stairs instead of the lift. Walk up the stairs as quickly as you can. For a little variation, try slowing down and taking two stairs at a time to further strengthen your legs.
· During breaks at work, walk the stairs, walk around the building or walk down the halls. Find any type of activity that keeps you moving during your break (you can sit at your desk and relax after the break!)
· Whenever you're walking somewhere, take the "long way around." Use this technique to get anywhere you're going... from shopping to getting a drink at the water cooler.
· At the supermarket, if you don't have too many bags, carry your own groceries out to the car without the shopping trolley. And remember... park the car in a spot furthest from the store entrance.
· Whenever possible, stand instead of sitting. Even standing still will burn more calories than sitting down.
· Lose the remote. When was the last time you actually got up from your seat, engaged all your leg muscles, and walked over to change the channel on the TV?
· Unless it's urgent, always opt for the loo that's furthest from you. Better yet, use the bathroom upstairs! Do the same for answering the telephone. It’s estimated that we now save walking approximately 70 miles per year with the advent of extension phones!
· Get into the garden! Gardening will take your body through a whole range of movements and help you to burn those calories..
· Meet friends for a walk instead of a coffee. Casual business meetings can also work on the move
· become Inefficient – take extra steps to put away items
Karen Dawkins, Personal Trainer, Winchester
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