8 Ways to Add Movement to Your Day Sans Lululemons
by Nicole Stenberg
You have goals - to feel better, be more mindful, make nutritious choices and more. Whether you are already logging the gold standard of 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week or not, read on to learn the tricks I use to pack more mood-boosting, waist slimming and health-improving moments into my day without ever sliding into workout clothes.
1. Take the stairs… every time, every day. Wake up earlier or leave a few extra minutes if you find yourself rushing off to your destination and yelling “hold that elevator!” everywhere you go. Be patient if stairs are difficult at first. Seeing improvements is half the fun!
2. Park further away and return the shopping cart to the front of the store. Taking advantage of opportunities to take more steps add up each week. You’ll make someone’s job a little easier that day, plus you’ll be able to back-out of that parking spot without a crowd of people around you. Win, Win!
3. Take your phone calls whiles standing or walking. Not only will it boost circulation and add to your step count, but your voice sounds more confident on the phone when standing.
4. Posture is everything. Whether you are sitting at your desk or standing in line for coffee, keep your spine straight with shoulder’s back and down, shift your ears over your hips and keep your weight evenly distributed between your sits bones or feet. (Yes, unfortunately that means when you sit down, you should not be crossing your legs.) Most importantly, pretend you’re standing on the beach and flexing your deep core muscles by pulling the belly button in and up. You can build strength, burn calories and prevent postural related injuries by practicing great posture in your daily routine. Plus, you’ll look taller, thinner and more confident.
5. Cook your meals whenever possible. Not only will you end up with a more nutritious meal and less burden on your budget, but you’ll be on your feet and learning a new skill. If it takes 10-30 minutes to move around your kitchen and create a meal, your adding calories burned and steps to your fit bit tracker.
6. People who have dogs tend to log more steps in their day, but you can also add squats! Next time you’re playing fetch with Fido, perform body weight squats until he brings back the tennis ball. The better your arm and the worse your pup is with fetch, the more bum-burning moves you’ll log.
7. Netflix and…stretch? Yes! Never feel guilty about taking an hour… or two to watch your favorite show again. Get in your comfy clothes, plop down on the floor and do a total body stretch session. Get your significant other or roommate to commit too for some extra bonding time.
8. Fidget. All day. Everywhere. Your body loves movement no matter how small. Tap your toes, walk to the printer instead of rolling in your chair, dance while you wait for the microwave to beep and don’t forget to SMILE.
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Nicole Stenberg is a Certified Exercise Physiologist and Yoga Instructor. As an avid fitness and wellness junkie, Nicole is constantly striving to create programs and tools that help people feel their best.