It’s time to get active because April is Move More Month. Although physical activity can sometimes feel like a chore, this month may be the perfect time to add more of it to our daily routine.
Created by the American Heart Association, the goal of Move More Month is simple: to get people moving. After all, many adults don’t get the recommended exercise they need.
If you’re ready to get in your 10,000 steps, here are 6 simple ways you can fit in more activity throughout the day.
- Climb the Stairs
Take a break from work and walk up the stairs in your home or office a few times. You can take this at any pace you want — walk slowly or jog or run up quickly for a bigger burn. No stairs? No problem. Walk around each room and down the hall. Every step counts.
- Make Errands Active
Do you need to get a couple of items from the grocery store, fill a prescription, mail a letter or drop off dry cleaning? Why not make it an active errand. Can you walk or bike there safely? You’ll easily be able to get in a 20-minute walk or 10-minute ride while checking something off your to-do list.
- Take a Break
If you sit at your computer all day, your muscles are begging for movement. Get up more often and set a timer for every hour if you can. Walk around your workspace, do a few jumping jacks or even bust out a few pushups or squats. By getting the blood moving, you’ll be ready to tackle to rest of the day.
- Stand Up
It’s common to turn off your computer and head straight for the couch and TV. You deserve to rest and recharge, but you can make it more active too.
Rather than skipping through the commercials, keep them on and use them as an opportunity to at least stand up and stay on your feet. Once up, you might opt to just stand there or add in more movement by raising up on your toes and back down to your heels, doing a few arm circles or even fitting in a set or two of lunges or burpees.
- Get Outside
Take your dogs for a walk around the park, go hiking with your friends for an afternoon of exploration or run around the yard with your kids. Any way you can get outside will get you closer to 10,000 steps!
- Take on a Challenge
Hold a plank a day for 30 days. Do 20 sit-ups before bed. Start with X number of pushups and then work your way up to X by the end of the month.
Micro fitness challenges can keep you motivated in small ways that will make you feel really good about the goal you’ve accomplished once the time is up. And then? Set a new goal and get after it.
Stay Active and Hydrated
While it’s important to try and fit in more physical activity throughout the day, you can’t forget to stay hydrated! Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration, which can cause fatigue, headaches and muscle cramps.
Check out our selection of eco-friendly water bottles and tumblers to keep you hydrated. Designed to keep your drinks hot or cold for hours with stainless steel and double-wall insulation technology, our reusable drinkware are stylish and reduces the use of plastic at the same time.
