Tips to Get and Stay Active

Did you know? Nearly 70 percent of costs associated with health care are due to preventable conditions? New research shows that spending long hours sitting at a desk or commuting to work can play a significant role in developing chronic disease. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) lists inactivity as the 4th biggest killer among adults. It’s time to get moving more.

Finding ways to stay active throughout the day can be challenging. Even if you spend most of your time behind a desk, there are ways you can break away and incorporate some physical activity into your daily routine.

A simple, yet easy tip is to look for ways to move more. You could:

  • Take the stairs
  • Walk the dog
  • Ride your bike to the grocery store
  • Get up and walk to a co-worker’s desk

If you want to get your family involved, try going on a bike ride after work, taking a walk around the neighborhood, or heading to the local swimming pool. You could even switch up your weekly date night with your significant other by going dancing, to the gym, or rock climbing instead of your usual dinner and a movie date.

Using a pedometer will help you increase your daily steps. And, there’s an app for that. Just search in your app store for pedometer and find one that works for you. Aim for 10,000 steps a day (about 5 miles).

With fitness, every little bit counts. Just because you aren’t doing push ups or sprints doesn’t mean your body isn’t still benefiting from the movement.