We’d all like to be more active but it’s easier for some people than it is for others. Some of us have a difficult time finding the motivation to go to the gym or go for a jog, even though we know we should for our health. But if regular exercise isn’t part of your daily routine, trying to jump into a new workout is especially difficult. You need to work your way up gradually, making physical activity part of your every day life. So if you’re looking for ways to add a little more exercise in your day, here are some easy tips.
Find more excuses to walk.
When you aren’t used to the more intense workouts, a great place to start is with walking. It’s not too intensive, but still a great way to get moving if you do it often enough. But you need to find excuses to make yourself walk more, and there are many ways to do this. The easiest method is to stop looking for shortcuts or ways to decrease the amount of walking you have to do. Stop looking for the parking spot in front of the building and park further away. Stop waiting for the elevator and take the stairs. Little things like this can get you more used to taking more steps in the day.
Multitask.
Another great thing about going for walks is that it is not too intensive that you can’t get other things done at the same time. I know people who hold meetings while out for walks, do conference calls while going for a stroll, or just brainstorm on their own. The problem a lot of us have with getting our daily dose of physical activity is that we feel we don’t have enough time in the day. By incorporating other tasks into your regular walk, you can remain active and save some time.
Take up a new hobby.
Introducing a new activity in your life is another great way to get up and moving. There are plenty of boomers-age sports leagues around that you could take part in. You can reignite your passion for an old favourite sport you used to play, or you could try your hand at a new sport. Don’t worry about skill level, many of the participants are doing it purely for fun. Of course, it doesn’t need to be as intensive as that. You could even join an evening walking group. It gives you the chance to be active while catching up with friends or meeting new people.
Dogs love walking.
If you don’t want to do your walking in big groups, but would prefer a little bit of company, dogs are always up for a nice walk. That’s not to suggest that you should run out and get a dog just for the sake of getting more walks in (though there are many other reasons a dog is a great companion), but if you already have a dog, take advantage of their enthusiasm for outdoor activity. Take over the majority of the dog-walking responsibilities. Volunteer to take them out before work and after dinner. They will love you for it and it makes the regular walks that much more enjoyable.
Start earlier.
The morning is the perfect time to start your physical activity. Starting your day with even a short walk has been shown to provide a significant energy boost to get your morning off on the right foot. Beyond that, if you start your day by being active, you are more likely to keep it up for the rest of the day. When we start our day off tired and inactive, it can be harder and harder to get out off that rut as the day goes on. However, when your day starts with exercise, you can chase that energetic feeling the rest of the day.
Find somewhere to go.
This might seem like an obvious solution, but it’s almost too obvious for the regular person to adopt. Similar to how we need to find excuses to walk more throughout the day, sometimes we just need to find somewhere that gets us out of the house and moving. Find a café near work that you can walk to everyday. Walk to the grocery store to get that missing ingredient for supper. Walk to you friend’s house to see how they are doing. it doesn’t matter if you actually need to go there, just make it a part of your day and get that little extra activity that goes a long way.
For more health content and everything else in the world of boomers, sign up with BoomersPlus for FREE. Go to www.boomersplus.com or email us at info@boomersplus.com to learn more.