Fitness doesn’t have to be relegated to a weight room or fitness studio. Finding ways to create a more active lifestyle every day will be just as effective in the long run. But how do you easily create a more active lifestyle? By forming new habits. Habit changes take concentrated effort but, after awhile, they become a natural part of your life.
How to create a more active lifestyle
Technology is great and it has made many things in life much easier, but it is slowly taking our will to lead an active lifestyle and turning us into couch potatoes.
Whether it’s binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix, surfing Facebook, or video games keeping you from being active, we have to make intentional choices to get off the couch!
But remember to start small when you begin to transition to a more active lifestyle. We have to be intentional about including active movement throughout the day. Too much too soon can have the opposite effect – we can feel overwhelmed, overtired, and overexert out-of-shape bodies.
TAKE A FAMILY WALK
Did you know that exercise is just as important to your body as water?
It doesn’t have to be a super strenuous hard-core workout – just adding a simple daily walk is beneficial.
An easy walk around the block gets your blood pumping, muscles working, and releases toxins from your body. Continued walking also builds your stamina.
If you are struggling to keep active, schedule a couple days a week for a walk. If it is cold out, bundle up and walk briskly.
Start out with a short 10-minute walk and work up to a brisk 30-minute walk 5 days a week. And make it a family endeavor – everyone can benefit from a daily walk.
If you make it a daily habit it will become a natural part of your routine.
PLAN A HIKING TRIP
Take that daily walk (which is perfect for building stamina) and turn it into the occasional hike (a few times a month is perfect).
You don’t have to travel far to go hiking – look for local parks that have hiking trails. Find a good place for a hike and turn a couple of your monthly walks into longer hikes.
Or, for a real adventure, plan a vacation – a fun camping trip can be inexpensive but still provide ample opportunities for activity – hiking, fishing, and much more.
Hiking as a family is a super way to spend time together and fit in some activity too.
CHOOSE A MONTHLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
One way to make things a little more fun is by planning some family activities. Instead of planning an activity every day of the week and wearing yourself out, start with an activity each month.
Go to the park to play Frisbee, jump on the trampoline, fly a kite, or race one of your family members around the block. No matter what you plan, make it count.
GET YOUR DANCE ON
From iTunes and YouTube to cell phones and tablets, you can play your favorite music list at any time in the day. Instead of just listening to your favorite tunes, get your dance on. Dancing is a great way to build serotonin (a chemical that decreases depression) in the brain, release toxins, strengthen the heart, and make you feel good overall. So, get your groove on and stay active.
Better yet, make it a family activity. Use your video game console to start dancing – there are plenty of dance games around for every console.
USE TECHNOLOGY
Netflix and Hulu are great for streaming all our favorite shows and movies but did you know that you can also get active using them?
Search for a dance video, an exercise routine, or a fitness show and get active right in your own home.
Or download a new app to your phone. There is an app for, literally, everything. Try the 7 Minute Workout, 10 Daily Exercises, or Fitness Buddy to bring technology and your active lifestyle together.
Living a More Active Life
Getting active is not only beneficial to your muscles, bones, and physical body, but physical activity is proven to promote brain health, positive thinking, and less stress.
While it’s so easy to slip into the habit of no activity, we can make a conscious choice to change. It just takes some effort and new habits. Be intentional about choosing movement and ways to get active throughout the day. Try to make it a family affair – get active together.
Do you have any tips for adding more movement to your day? Leave me a comment!
We couldn’t have said it better, that is why this is a direct repost from Happy Homeschool Nest