How to Move More at Home
By Genevieve Cunningham
Moving your body every day is really important. Without movement, our health and life in general can really suffer. Movement is a lot like good food -- it's fuel for life. Unfortunately, getting enough movement isn’t always easy. And perhaps one of the hardest places to get yourself moving is in the comfort of your own home. Once we get home, we just want food, a comfy couch, and Netflix. Movement? No thanks! But if you really want to be healthy, getting in more movement is a must. So how do you do it? If you’re ready to get moving at home, take a look at these tips for making it happen.
Make More Trips
We all like to see how many grocery bags we can fit on our arms and take inside at once. No one wants to go back a second time. But if you need more movement, just make more trips. Make multiple trips to bring in the groceries. Make multiple trips to water the plants around the house. Make multiple trips to clean out the car or take out the trash. The more trips you make, the more you walk, and the more calories you burn overall.
Enforce Rules
It’s easy to make rules for yourself, but it’s a lot harder to actually enforce them. Start with something easy. Don’t allow yourself to start your favorite TV show until after you’ve done 20 lunges and 20 squats. Once you’ve mastered this rule, step it up. Make yourself do cardio for at least half of your TV binge session. Make yourself do a certain number of jumping jacks before dinner. Use whatever rules will work for you, and then slowly add them to your routine until more movement is a way of life.
Rearrange Your Home
Sometimes changing up the appearance of your home changes the way you function within it. If you keep the remote on the arm of the chair, there’s not a lot of incentive to get up. Move it across the room, and keep it there. Get rid of your desks and install standing desks. Make space for a yoga mat. Keep your handheld weights in the living room or bedroom … out in the open where they serve as a constant reminder. Sometimes if you set up your surroundings to move more and be more exercise friendly, the practice will quickly follow.
Getting more movement at home can happen. And it can probably be easier than you think. Use these simple tips to add movement to your home and your life. With some small changes, you can change your habits, improve your lifestyle, and get your body moving toward better health before you know it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Marietta, Ga.