How to Get Active and Stay Active!
Now that you are aware of the amazing benefits of movement and physical activity, all that is left is to get started! This can be a daunting prospect for some people, for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you are nervous about getting started, you may believe that you are not able to ‘exercise’ or you may simply feel like you have no time to spare.
Movement comes in all shapes and sizes – going to the gym or going for a run are not the only ways to get active! Renu places a strong emphasis on making small, meaningful changes to your lifestyle over time. That way, your lifestyle changes can both sustainable and enjoyable.
Therefore, the first thing to think about when getting active is what small changes you can make to your day-to-day routine to increase your activity levels. These need not be intense, daunting or take too much time out of your day.
To help you along the way, here are some practical tips for how to get active at home, at work and within your social life. Some of you may find some activities harder than others; that is perfectly fine, as every individual’s Renu journey will be different. Do what you can do, and you will reap the rewards.
How to Get Active at Home
No, you don’t need to use your living room as a home gym! Try implementing some of these more basic activities first…
Stand Up and Move: whether you are sitting watching your favourite show, or lying in bed scrolling on your phone, try and catch yourself in that moment and simply stand up and move. Start by shaking your limbs off and walk, bounce, stretch or hop – it doesn’t need to be complicated!
Cook Lovely Meals: Renu has a strong emphasis on diet, and meal preparation is a big part of that. This ties in nicely to getting active, as you may have to zip about the shops while carrying bags or pushing a trolley. After that, you will be buzzing around the kitchen while you whip up something delicious. This is a great way to increase your movement!
Clean the House: You can never do too much cleaning! Pushing and pulling the hoover, kneeling down to clean surfaces and picking up and putting things away are all different types of movement.
Have Some Fun: doing what you love can be a great way to get active too. Whether it’s doing some gardening or playing with the kids or grandkids – getting up and doing anything is better than nothing!
How to Get Active at Work
You may feel like work is a time where being active is out of the question. With the right mindset, however, you may be surprised at the possibilities. Even if you are working away at a desk all day, there are some practical tips suitable for you!
Park and Walk: if you take the car, bus or train to work, make a conscious effort to get off or park up a bit earlier than normal and walk the rest of the way.
Take the Stairs: as you enter the building after your walk, you may be faced with a decision: stairs, elevator or escalator. One way you can get active at work is by always taking the stairs where appropriate.
Shake it Off: every half an hour or so, stand up and either walk around or shake your limbs off; anything that breaks up your sedentary time is valuable.
Offer to Make the Tea and Coffee: become the most popular colleague at work while benefitting your health at the same time! Being the one to offer to make the tea and coffee will get you out of your seat and get active.
Use Your Lunch Break: instead of staying in during lunch, go out for a walk and pick something up with your colleagues. Try and use this free time for you to move around before settling back into work.
How to Get Active with Your Social Life
Another common concern with getting active is that with work and everyday life, it may eliminate your social life. Again, this is far from the truth; getting active can be so much more than spending time attending the gym. The possibilities for getting active while having a social life are endless…
Enjoy a Day Out: remember, doing anything is better than nothing. A day at the beach, playing mini golf, going bowling or going the cinema all require you to be active in some way and can be very beneficial. These examples also demonstrate that getting active doesn’t need to be boring!
Phone a Friend: if you get to the stage where you are ready to dedicate some of your leisure time to more traditional ‘exercise’, doing so with a friend can be very beneficial. Not only does it create accountability, but it makes movement more enjoyable while keeping your social life alive.
Author
Movement advice reviewed by David Morgan
