4 Reasons to Add Movement to Your Day

The American Heart Association has declared April to be National Move More Month! The AHA’s goal is to raise awareness on the benefits of regular physical activity. It is believed that just 30 minutes a day can provide you with several health benefits.

Regular movement is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. There are many wonderful health benefits associated with physical activity. From a reduction in risk for numerous chronic conditions to boosting your mood, there are so many reasons to get active.

Finding ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life can be difficult, especially now when you’re stuck inside. However, there are many different ways you can incorporate movement into your day. Just make sure that you’re doing something you enjoy!

4 Health Benefits of Exercise:

You have probably heard numerous times that exercising is good for you, however, rarely are the reasons to move explained. Regular physical activity provides numerous health benefits, including:

Reduce your risk of heart disease – When you move your body, your heart works, strengthening them both. Regular exercise can help lower your bad cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and blood pressure. This, in turn, helps lower your risk for heart disease.

Improve your mental health – Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. Exercise helps your brain release feel-good hormones which can boost your mood and leave you feeling relaxed. These hormones can also manage your stress levels and reduce your risk of depression.

Strengthen your bones and muscles – Regular weight-bearing exercises like running or lifting weights help your body build bone density and strengthen your muscles.

Improves your sleep – Exercising during the day can help you to fall asleep faster and for a longer duration.

5 Tips for Adding Movement to Your Day:

While you now are aware of some of the reasons to exercise, you may be wondering where to start. Incorporating daily movement into your life can be challenging, however, there are some useful tips you can use to get moving:

Choose an activity you like – Just because your best friend loves going for a morning run doesn’t mean you have to. If you can find an activity you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick to it. From swimming to soccer, there are many choices to pick from!

Start small, build from there – Like anything else, if you take on too much too fast, you will likely become overwhelmed. Begin your physical activity journey from a small starting point you are comfortable with. For example, you can start out riding a bike for 30 minutes during any three days of the week. After some time, you may start to ride your bike five days a week.

Switch it up – Once you feel you’ve gotten into a comfortable rhythm, consider adding to your daily exercise routine or trying different activities on different days. For example, maybe you can go for a walk during the work week and go for a bike ride through the local park or take a yoga class on the weekends.

Find opportunities to move – Daily movement can go beyond an actual workout. Parking a few spots away from the store, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and cleaning the house are small everyday tasks that give you the chance to get some extra activity in.

Remember to rest – Your body works hard to support you during your workouts. Give your body a day or two to rest and recover. Treat yourself to a bubble bath or a late afternoon nap.

The most important thing to remember when developing an exercise plan is consistency over perfection. The goal is to move your body and enjoy the movement; not to push yourself to a point of unhappiness or pain. Lace-up your shoes, embrace the sunshine, and get moving!

Your Turn to Take Action: How will you include movement in your daily routine? Let me know in the comments below!