I Move

Now that I am totally convinced that every little bit of movement is really important, I found myself asking “how can I move more in a day?”.

I am not naturally a fidgety, animated, high metabolism person.  You know the type I’m talking about, the girl friend who just can’t sit still and never seems to tire.  Yeah, not me.  I’m a mover, yes, I love to exercise and dance and hike but I also really enjoy laying still and vegging with a book or television.   While I know that there is value in rest, I’ve learned that I actually feel better when I am in motion most of the day; my appetite is more steady, I’m more energized, I’m more clear-headed, and I’m more productive.  All of these benefits, along with this article, has encouraged me to become more active in my day-to-day.

Here are some of the ways I am moving more

• Sitting on a ball at the desk.  Is a ball a little too treacherous or low-key for your office?  Check out these awesome ball chairs.
• Planting a garden.  Not only is planting and tending a garden very active but I often step outside during the day just the check on new growth and admire the greenery.  Even a little herb bed/container will encourage you to step outside more often.
• Cleaning more.  Seriously, I’ve been spending a few extra minutes a day on tidying up just to get my body moving a little more.  Sweeping the kitchen takes less than 2 minutes so even if I am short on time I can fit it in.
• Using the upstairs bathroom instead of the main floor one and sometimes going in the store entrance that is actually further away.  Both of these things add negligible time but valuable movement.
• Offering to get things for people, like going out of my way to open a door or bringing Tate a glass of water in the next room.
• Taking the stairs.  I’ve been a loyal stair-walker for as long as I remember and always will be.
• Dance party!  Sadly, I don’t do this enough!   Shocking, right?  But when I do it feels amazing!  And energizing, even if it’s just half a song.
• 10 minute workout dvd’s.  It’s really true, anyone can fit a 10 minute workout in and when I am done I usually feel warm and limber and motivated to keep moving.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.  I wish I was a super stylish girl but the truth is that I am a little bit of a slob when it comes to dressing myself and comfort always trumps fashion.  The plus side to this is that my pants are usually loose enough that if we have a lull at the clinic I can get down and do 15!
• Bagging my own groceries.  And bag ’em fast! Yes, it’s not a lot of movement but it’s full body-reach, lift, push, pull, shift your feet, I promise it all counts!
• Returning the grocery cart to the store.  Bonus points for jogging back to the car!