You probably know this situation: long and stressful workdays, packed schedules, household chores, errands, bad weather—there are plenty of excuses to postpone your daily workout until tomorrow. And the next day? New excuses appear.
Our mind is a true master at coming up with reasons to avoid activity.
As a result, daily movement often falls by the wayside, and your inner couch potato keeps getting stronger. That’s why it’s important to make the most of everyday opportunities. The simplest rule is: “Any movement is better than no movement!”
Adults should aim for about 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of activity per week. This doesn’t necessarily mean intense workouts or sweating at the gym—it’s mainly about everyday movement. A good motivational mantra is: A little every day leads to big results!
In this guide, we’ll show you how small changes can help you move more throughout the day. You don’t have to apply all of them—but they can definitely inspire you to become more active:
- Try to walk 10,000 steps a day
- Use fitness apps or trackers that remind you to move regularly
- Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator
- Meet up for a walk instead of coffee
- Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest
- When driving, choose a parking spot further away
- Wherever you are: stand on one leg to train your balance
- While waiting in line, tense and relax your glutes
- Try to work standing up more often
- Stand up or walk around while talking on the phone
- Get yourself a drink (water, tea, coffee) from the kitchen more often
- While sitting, raise and lower your forefeet repeatedly
- Place your printer further away so you have to get up to print
- Do a 5–10 minute workout in the morning after waking up
- Do squats or wall sits while brushing your teeth
- Turn on your favorite music while cooking and dance along
- Clean your home—and feel free to dance while doing it
- Walk to meet the delivery person—or even go all the way downstairs
- Take a short walk around the block after meals
- Turn unloading the dishwasher into a workout: Engage your core and squat to pick up items. Do the same when loading lower cabinets. Stretch tall when placing items in upper cabinets.
- Do a few exercises while watching your favorite series
- Already have a workout plan? Stick to your scheduled training days
- And go dancing more often again
Of course, these aren’t the only ways to stay active. Get creative and think about how you can incorporate more movement into your daily life. For now, though, why not try out a few of these ideas?
So start shrinking your inner couch potato by overcoming it more often. And remember: it’s (almost) never too late to live a more active life—and to take the first step toward becoming fitter and healthier.