Suddenly, people are spending more and more time sitting and lying down. Many are not even moving enough to meet the basic requirements for exercise and physical stimulation. It is becoming all too easy to progress into a sedentary lifestyle, which brings with it a list of health risks.
Research has found a connection between spending too much time spent motionless and:
- larger waist circumference
- higher body mass index
- insulin resistance
- increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality
Therefore, I want to show you how to keep moving through your day to prevent this from happening. Even 5-minute sessions of heightened physical activity followed by rest can be beneficial. What follows are 25 simple activities you can do to get your body moving. Some of them, you might be doing already.
- Do some yoga stretches on your yoga mat.
- Try a few arm pushups with your hands on the bathroom sink.
- Fit in a few mini squats while you wait for food to cook.
- While showering, do progressive muscle relaxation where you tense and then relax various muscles in your body.
- When you pass by a convenient window sill, do a runner’s stretch to release your calf and thigh muscles.
- As you’re walking around your home be conscious of tightening your buttocks with each step.
- Find excuses to run up and down the stairs.
- Give your arms some exercise by cleaning your windows.
- When you’re watching TV, stretch your neck, do some more Progressive Muscle Relaxation on your shoulders and thighs.
- Have a soft ball on hand that you can squeeze to exercise your hands and wrists.
- Use cans and bottles as weights, doing a few curls.
- While waiting for food to cook, suck in your belly, and tighten your abdominal muscles.
- On the phone, you can stand up and do lunges or squats.
- Do push-ups in your chair. With hands on the arms of your chair lift yourself up off your seat.
- While sitting, rotate your ankles in both directions.
- Take every opportunity to walk around the house.
- Do arm circles every hour.
- Every time you go to the restroom, do a series of jumping jacks, a few side stretches and toes touching.
- Bench press your laundry basket several times while carrying it to its final destination.
- Put on music and perform some of your best dance moves.
- Make commercial breaks your personal exercise time.
- Run up and down the stairs while doing chores.
- Do a few side bend stretches before bedtime.
- When lying in bed, do knee hugging. Cross one leg over the other, wrap your hands around the outer leg and pull them both into your chest.
- Incorporate a child or dog into your exercises by doing lifts with them, dance with them or play “Chase the Ball.”
Email us photos of your favorite exercises to info@sistasplace.org.
Aloha,
Dr. Carolyn Dean, https://rnareset.com/
Photo of the meditating woman by madison lavern on Unsplash
Dancing with your dog or child is a simple way to get your body moving (and theirs).