Get your body moving!

“I simply have no time to exercise. I have this and that which I need to do. It’ll just have to wait!”

Does this sound like something you would say? I used to say it all the time. Until one day I decided to stop. And instead, do something. At least a little something every day to get my body moving.

I want to live as long as possible. I also want to stay healthy for as long as possible. Therefore I must exercise. There is no way around that if you want to live a long and healthy life.

Granted there is no guarantee for a long and healthy life even if you exercise and vice versa. However, the odds stack up in your favor tremendously.

So how should you go about getting some daily movement into your life? To create habits that lead to a healthier life? I’ll tell you how I’ve done it. I hope you’ll find some of this useful.

For me, the seemingly impossible equation is that there are only 24 hours to a day. Sounds familiar? I work full time and in the evening I want to spend some time with my kids before they go to sleep. I do not want to go out jogging on my own and miss my time with them.

I’ve taken advantage of my kids’ innovative ideas and desire to move. In the evening after dinner, the whole family do a workout together. My 5-year old daughter can lead a lesson in the living room. Showing exercises she’s learned in her gymnastics class.

Or during the summer when there is still light in the evening, we play some football in the garden or go for a bike ride. During weekends, I can go jogging with my oldest son.

As the kids grow older the workouts you can do with them changes. I guess at some point I might not be able to keep up with them. But at least we get to spend time together.

Another way to get as much exercise into your life as possible is to create habits for everyday movements. I have found more time for reading since I’ve started reading e-books. This is simply because I always have my ongoing book within arms reach and therefore I can take advantage of those spare moments that otherwise would be wasted.

The same methodology applies to exercise. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take the bike instead of the car. Go for a walk while waiting for your kids to finish their music lesson. Swim a few lanes while your kids have their swimming lesson.

Taking advantage of those moments adds up. Ok, they will not add up for you to prepare for a marathon. But that’s not the point. They can add up to help you live a healthier life. Also if you actively start to look for these possibilities to do some exercise you’ll find that they are more numerous than you think. You will also get more creative at finding these moments. You’ve literally set yourself in motion.

The benefits of exercise are also as your body grows stronger so does your self-confidence and self- worth. This will have an impact on other areas of your life. You are also setting an example for your kids. Getting them to move is important, especially as they grow older and spend more time in front of the computer.

I believe that everyone can tweak their habits just slightly and thereby create some everyday exercise. What will be your trick for making it happen?

 

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash