Tips for moving more
Sitting still is the new smoking. That sitting still is unhealthy, we probably don’t need to explain to you. Because of Corona, more and more people are struggling with poor fitness and obesity. Want to get fit again? Perhaps it helps to first highlight the physical, mental and social benefits of moving more. In addition, we have listed 24 tips for you to get more exercise in your daily life. Read on soon!
Benefits of moving more
First, list the benefits. What health benefits do you get from exercising more?
Physical
- Stronger muscles
- Supple joints and muscles
- Improved coordination and flexibility
- Better fitness, more vitality
- Smaller chance of cardiovascular disease
- Lower risk of hypertension
- Lowering total blood fat and improving the ratio of good to bad cholesterol
- Better resistance
- Acceleration of metabolism
- Less likely to be overweight
Mental
- Relaxation, stress relieving
- Better sleep
- Greater concentration
- Pleasure/satisfaction
- Fewer feelings of dejection or anxiety
- More Creative
- Better memory
Social
- By exercising together with a friend, family member, neighbor or colleague, for example, you have a social moment together.
- When you work out in groups, you meet new people who have the same interests: group spirit and team spirit.
- If you go for an independent walk, bike ride, swim or whatever, you are still really more likely to run into people than if you stayed at home.
How much should we exercise on average?
Read exercise guidelines for youth, adults and the elderly here.
Movement leads to even more movement
If you become more active, you will find that you become so on other fronts. Often beneficial lifestyle changes begin with exercise. Then that naturally expands to other lifestyle aspects.
For example, you often get better sleep when you exercise more. In addition, you get more energy and motivation to prepare healthy meals. We really feel better physically and mentally when we exercise more regularly. By moving more and eating healthier, you experience satisfaction, resulting in a more positive mindset and better balance. Would you, too, like to get more movement in your daily life? Below we have listed a series of tips for you.
24 Tips to move more
- Choose a set day and time to exercise or walk so that exercise becomes a habit for you.
- Grab a bike instead of a car as much as possible. Even if you have to go to the supermarket for a small errand.
- Agree with yourself that you always take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator.
- Get off the bus or streetcar one stop earlier and then walk briskly for the last stretch. Do you have (smaller) children? Play with them more often. Play a game of soccer, table tennis or tag. Or jump on the trampoline together, you’ll see how much fun you’ll have together! Quality time
- Take brisk walks with the dog and get out into nature a little more often, instead of the familiar lap around the neighborhood. Don’t you have a dog? Otherwise, let out those of neighbors or friends. Dog happy. Neighbors happy. You happy.
- Take a forest, moorland, or beach walk with friends, instead of a cup of coffee on the couch. That can always be drunk afterwards. Or think of an active outing to do together such as bowling, biking a long way or miniature golf.
- On your lunch break, take a (lunch) walk with a nice colleague.
- Telephone walking.
- Purchase a standing desk. Automatically you will move more.
- Do you work from home a lot now? Schedule breaks and then get moving. Go for a walk, a run, or exercise at that time. Don’t have much time? Use the 7 minute workout app. Something is better than nothing.
- While working from home, get moving every hour. Take a walk around the block or challenge yourself more by alternating it with a set of exercises around your desk. For example, consider one set of 15 squats, 10 push ups against the edge of your desk, 20 dips on the edge of your chair or walk/run up and down the stairs a few times.
- Do you work in an office? Then walk over to your colleague more often instead of emailing him/her or picking up the phone. Or get a glass of water or a cup of tea for yourself and your colleagues more often. This way you kill three birds with one stone, because you provide exercise, a social contact moment and you also make sure you drink enough.
- Go gardening on weekends. That way you are back in motion and can enjoy it when it is finished. Or even better; start your own vegetable garden! Nice and intense, soothing and super healthy too.
- Give your house a (big) cleaning a little more often. That too takes energy!
- Make time to clean out the attic, garage, basement or shed.
- Wash the car yourself instead of at the car wash.
- Walk for 15 minutes after eating to get it down and stimulate fat burning and reduce stress.
- Still need to call your father, mother or co-worker (and know that might take a long time?) combine it with a walk! Win win win.
- Spend some more “quality time” with your partner. Use a pedometer and take 10,000 steps daily.
- Put away your cell phone a little more often and spend that time exercising.
- Exercise during the intermission of your favorite TV program. Put laundry in the machine, walk the dog in advance, stretch your body or play tag with your kids.
- Take your kids, neighbor kids, nephew or niece to a (subtropical) pool. This is how you combine exercise with fun AND quality time together.
- Would you like to take up sports? Then choose something you like. Motivation is half the battle!
- Make a sport out of moving more. Think of it as a game to explore every possible form of movement. Is your train delayed? Go for a walk instead of standing on the platform freezing cold. With love, take your friend or child on the back of your bike. See how long you can cycle standing. Offer your elderly neighbor help around the house. Develop green fingers. Make a sprint with your children or partner. Dance while cooking. An added benefit of all these things is that they also improve your mood.
Need help?
Would you like to pick up exercise, but need a BOOST and a stick? We provide Personal training WHERE and WHEN you want it. Thus, we will come to you with all the sports equipment and you will receive a customized plan and personal guidance. So that you will get everything out of a workout and train as effectively as possible.
Feel free to contact us for more information, or schedule a FREE intake + trial class if seriously interested.