Lets get moving!

YOU’VE GOT TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT

In our life of chaos and constant to dos, we spend a lot of time putting out the fires while sitting on our tush.  We have all heard that sitting is the new smoking right.  Well, get up and put that cigarette butt out!  I am not just saying to stand more.  I am saying, move more.  You want more energy?  You want to feel better?  Well then, let’s go MOVE IT, MOVE IT!  (I know that song is playing in your head right now, well pick up that beat and lets go.)  

Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate more movement and different movement in your day.

1.  Take the furthest parking space at any and every parking lot.  At the gym, the grocery store, drug store, work, school, sporting event.  

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Whether it is one floor or 10.  A bonus for this, you will know every exit incase of an emergency.  Plus, if you have to go to the 10 floor, you don’t have to do every level.  Start with the stairs, go up a few flights and then take the elevator.  

3. Sit on the floor.  You can create opportunities to get on the ground.  Play a board game on the floor with your kids. Having a dinner and movie night?  Make it a picnic.  Move the furniture, lay out a blanket, turn on the movie and have a nice family fun time.  After you eat, move the food, lay down and snuggle in.

  

4. At work, take your shoes off.  Sit differently at your desk chair.  Criss cross, one foot tucked under.  When standing, stand on one foot then switch.  Tree Pose!  Do stretches standing up.  Bring your foot to your tush, grab the ankle and stretch your quadriceps.  There are so many opportunities to move all day.

5. Here is a great core training tip.  Sit at the end of your chair.  Try not to lean against the back of your office chair.  

6. When driving, at a red light stretch your hands over your head, touch the roof of your car.  Rotate your body when backing up instead of using the back up camera.  

7. If you have kids and they play a sport, take a walk around the field.  You can still watch them while getting in some extra steps.  If they are indoors, say a basketball or volleyball practice, bleachers are amazing to play around in.  That’s right, I said play.  It’s not just for 5 year olds.
   
   

8. When making dinner, turn off the depressing new, turn up pandora or spotify to your favorite tunes and groove while cooking.  Make it fun!

9. When cleaning, make big movements.  If you are vacuuming, it is an opportunity to lunge.  Picking toys up off the floor?  Squat!  Putting dishes into the dishwasher, side lunge.  Dishes into the cabinet, calf raises.  (I have a bunch of these ideas!)

10. Here is a fun one.  If the kids or your significant other is getting ready for bed, or in bed and you don’t mind if they get riled up, start a pillow fight.  It can lead to great fun!

11. Running into the grocery store or Target for a quick shop?  Bypass the cart and carry your items in your hands.  The juggling of items will naturally create more movements for you and you get to see how strong you have become from your strength training sessions.  

12. Being outside and working in your yard will create great opportunities to move in different ways.  Holding a deep squat, kneeling, sitting criss cross or bend forward, while pulling weeds.  Try walking your hands out to reach the weeds further away you can hold a plank and pull the weed, stretch back to downdog and toss the weed into the trash bin.  

There are so many more ways to increase your movement everyday.  Look for the opportunities to add a squat, lunge, push up or even some speed in there.  WAlk to the store, ride a bike to work or even drive part of the way and ride a bike the rest. These little moments will create a bid impact over time.  Moving more can help stretch your muscles to relax you, increase your blood flow, lower your stress levels, increase your motor skills, increase your balance and help you to have an overall happier attitude on life.  

As I sit here writing this blog I have sat in a chair, on a floor and stood on one foot.  Rolled out my neck, rolled my wrists and ran down the stairs to put dinner in the oven and back up again.  There are so many ways.  Find one today and another tomorrow and implement the idea.  Your body will thank you.