What is the easiest way to increase physical activity?

The easiest way to increase your physical activity is to get off the couch and do it. When you have the choice to take the elevator or stairs, take the stairs. Park further away from the mall or grocery store so you walk more. The important thing is to move. Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Walk the dog, walk with the kids, go for a jog, go up and down your stairs at home, just move. You will be surprised at the results and how much easier life becomes when you are active.

Increasing physical activity is easier than you may think.  Start moving more whenever the opportunity permits.  So if you can take the stairs instead of the elevator or you can park further away to add some walking to your day, you've already improved.  Think about standing while talking on the phone rather than sitting.  Add a brisk walk around your work area or building on a break or at lunch.  Try to replace thirty minutes of inactivity with movement..so if you normally sit on the couch for an hour and watch television in the evening, trade out half of the time to do some balance work (like a single leg balance reach) or some stretching (like foam rolling).  The main thing to focus on is choosing activity whenever you have the opportunity.  It can make a huge difference and get you motivated to take the next step in a program!

The easiest way to increase physical activity, is to find something that you love to do and to do it.  It's great to take the stairs, walk to work, etc. but if you hate to do it; it won't last.  If you can find something that makes you happy or is fun for you to do, the easier sticking with that activity will be.

Simply think about the things you do on a daily basis that can make things easier on you physically and ask yourself if you can make it more physically demanding while achieving the same result. Some examples: normally we drive our cars to work. Can you walk or ride a bike? If you do have to drive to work, do you find the closest parking spot? If so, can you park farther away to force you to get in more steps? If you take the elevator or escalator to get to another floor of a building, can you take the stairs?  If you eat your lunch at your desk, can you have a walking lunch? So you simply replace what you normally do that may make things less physically demanding and replace it with physical activity to achieve the same outcome.

Being physically active on a regular basis has both mental and physical benefits, for men and women, of all ages. Becoming more physically active could be the single most important thing you can do, right now, to improve the quality of your life for your future. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

• Walk, instead of taking the car, whenever possible. If the gym, store, or post office is close - leave the car at home.
• Do at least one chore each day that requires you to be physically active. For example, wash the windows, mow the lawn, or clean your room.
• Park at the far end of the parking lot.
• Choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Play with your children. This can also be great family bonding time!
• Take your dog for a walk, or an extra walk, each day.
• While watching your favorite TV show, do some gentle stretching.
• Call up a friend and go for a walk while you both chat and catch up on the latest gossip.

Try to look for opportunities each day where you can get up and move around. The goal for increasing physical activity is to sit less and move more.

When people think about increasing physical activity, many think about needing a gym to do so. It is much easier than you think!  Just take a look at your daily activities. Do you take the elevator? If so, start using the stairs. When parking your car at stores; park at the back of the parking lot. Do NOT try to find the closest spot. :) If you are on the phone, try standing instead of sitting. You probably have a couple must see TV shows as well. At every commercial do a couple exercises…pushups, planks, bridges, jog in place, squats, jumping jacks, and the list goes on! 

Just get up and move. What are you waiting for?