Hello Living 360!
So, last time I asked just what is stopping you from starting to work towards your dream of a new healthier, fitter you. Since then I have been amazed to find out just how little exercise some of my new clients had actually been doing on a daily basis before signing up for PT and actually found it quite worrying!! Desk jobs, owning a car and driving everywhere, having a helper who basically does all the leg work in the house and too much time spent in front of a screen of some sort during recreational time all adds up to some VERY inactive people out there!
So, in case this is YOU…here are some BASIC WAYS TO MOVE ABOUT MORE!
OK they may seem obvious, but some of you really do need to start restructuring your daily life for the sake of your long-term health. Therefore these little ‘baby -steps’ if you like will help see you along the right path to increasing your energy levels and perhaps then taking the next step.
Monday:
Ditch the car (better for the environment too), jump off the bus/MRT two stops early and briskly walk the rest of the way to work and back home. If it leaves you hot, sweaty and slightly out of breath, a 20-minute power walk will get you into fat burning mode. It is a great low-impact metabolism raiser.
Tuesday:
Do the housework!! Vacuuming is great for pushing and pulling your upper body muscles into shape. Keep your stomach muscles taught and your knees bent-you’ll tone your shoulders, arms, upper -back and chest. The faster you clean, the higher your heart rate and the more calories you’ll burn off. Just don’t forget to swap your vacuuming arm!
Wednesday:
Take the kids to the park. Running around after them, pushing swings and lifting them up and down from the climbing frames is fantastic toning exercise, even better than an aerobics class. Cameron Diaz and J-Lo are big fans of recess training. If you don’t fancy that, walk a dog! All the patting and poop scooping is great for your thighs.
Thursday:
There is nothing better than a gleaming car to catch peoples attention. So, wax on and wax off yourself for a satisfying upper-body workout. It’ll tone your chest, shoulders and upper-arms.
Friday:
Whatever you are doing today, use the stairs instead of escalators and lifts! It’s great for achieving SJP-style pins! Carrying heavy bags increases the load on your thighs, calves and butt (as well as tone your arms) and it’s great calorie-burning exercise so leave the shopping trolly at home too!
Saturday:
Weekend here, it’s time for some fun and perhaps a night out. So, ditch the pub/wine bar/restaurant and instead head to a club or bar with DJ’s or a live band and a dance-floor, whatever gets YOUR groove on and shake the night away…along with a few hundred calories!! Just don’t consume the equivalent number back in booze… Swap wine/gin&tonic/cocktails for vodka, lime and soda, try switching to a low carb beer such as ‘Pure Blonde’ and intersperse each alcoholic drink with a glass of water!
Sunday:
Phew, well after a week like that you should be feeling energized and motivated so today is the day to take the next step and plunge into something new! Go join a gym or health club, find out about local classes you could join, (dancing, martial arts, group fitness etc), check out the local sports hall or athletics track for details of events and clubs they run or find out about local sports teams that offer training and coaching.
WHATEVER you DO, you are doing BETTER for YOURSELF and YOUR HEALTH so DON’T DELAY…START TODAY!!!