Ways to be more active
Late-night trip to the Joe’s:
I needed some things for the Pilot’s lunches, a bottle of wine for the wives’ coffee tonight, and most importantly, some of these:
I had to eat eggs with a fork instead of pinched up into a tortilla yesterday and the day just wasn’t the same:
Impulse buys were kept to a minimum:
(I hoard lotion- my collection is almost as intense as my candle obsession)
and while I was grocery shopping, I thought about a conversation the Pilot and I had last time we were at Trader Joe’s. I was telling him that I was so excited about our weekly farm box, because it would cut wayyyy down on grocery shopping time. Liv and I usually spend a little while in the produce section inspecting fruits and veggies -I’m especially picky about grapes and tomatoes- and all of that time: in my pocket from now on.
When I told him, he said:
Imagine if you could just click your Trader Joe’s order into the computer and have it waiting for you when you got there.
I said it would be awesome, but that automation is a huge reason why so many adults are inactive and unhealthy- we don’t need to work as hard as our ancestors did. We can sit in a chair clicking buttons to make things happen around us. We’re seated as we commute, work at a desk, and maybe grocery shopping is one of the little activities that can add up to create a healthier lifestyle.
He had a great point in saying that maybe if someone had a restricted amount of time and could pick up their groceries ready to go, instead of having to spend time walking around the store, they would have to workout or go to the gym: extra free time —> extra ability to move.
It’s interesting to think about… automation helps us in so many ways, but can also hinder our active lifestyles.
I thought it would be fun to talk about little ways to move throughout the day or get in extra activity. Even if you’re busy, little blasts of exercise or movement is much better than nothing, and it all adds up.
Here are 10 of my favorites:
1) Take the dog for a walk. I look forward to walking Bell every day, and Liv loves riding in the jogging stroller as we stroll around the neighborhood. It’s great exercise for Bell, a little extra movement for me, and a change of scenery for Liv.
2) Get up from your desk for a stretch or little errand. Here are some of my favorite stretches, and you could also take a quick walk to drop off paperwork or mail, or fill up your water bottle. It’s a good chance to refresh your brain and give your eyes a rest when you’ve been staring at a computer screen for longer than an hour, too.
3) Have a dance party. This is one of my favorites, even more so now that I have someone to join in with me and thinks it’s hilarious. Put on some Zumba music (or whatever makes you want to mueve your bom bom) while you cook dinner as a fun way to unwind from the day.
4) Window shop. I absolutely love walking around the mall (or Target, World Market, Bed, Bath and Beyond…). Even though I don’t usually make purchases it’s a safe, air-conditioned (<– crucial in Tucson) place to get in some extra movement.
5) Make a game out of it. The Pilot said while he was deployed, in the office they had a pull-up bar in the doorway. Everytime someone left the office, they had to do 10 pull-ups. Add a pull-up bar or stability ball (great for sit-ups or crunches) to your office and make a little game out of it- who knows how many extra strength exercises you’ll be able to get in during the day 🙂
6) Get in a lunchtime workout. Even if you meet up with a coworker for a quick walk, remember that something is always better than nothing. When I worked a 40-hour a week desk job (in the finance department at one of the hospitals here), I found that if I ate lunch at my desk and powered through, it was a tougher afternoon for me. I always felt energized and focused when I took a lunch break, even if it was short, and just got in a little movement. Short and effective options: Tabata training or HIIT
7) Use the stairs. This may seem like a generic tip, but actually USE the stairs as part of your mini workout- they’re fantastic for step ups, calf raises, or elevated lunges.
8) Wear a pedometer. I learned a couple of weeks ago that just the act of wearing a pedometer triggers your subconscious to get in as much extra walking as possible. Those who wear pedometers walk an average of a mile more each day. You burn about 100 calories per mile (give or take based on age, fitness level and body composition), 100 x 7 days = 700 calories per week; 3500 calorie deficit is one pound of weight lost / 700 calories each week = in 5 weeks you could lose 1 lb, just from wearing a pedometer.
9) Set up a fitness plan. Having a plan is the greatest way to encourage success, so if you schedule out time to move each day, you’ll be more likely to make it happen. Be flexible and patient with yourself, of course, but having an idea of what you want to accomplish that week is a great action plan to achieve your health and fitness goals.
10) Stand. You burn more calories standing than sitting (up to 50 more each hour), so see if there’s a way you could perform some of your work standing or even bouncing on a physioball.
What are some of your favorite ways to get in extra activity? Chasing a very mobile 9-month old always does the trick 😉
What do you think about the impact of automation on activity levels??
xoxo
Gina
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Love this list! I always park far away from wherever I am going and walk, always take the stairs, and go for frequent walks with my puppy!
The timing of this post was too perfect. I read this on my phone while walking into the downtown area of where I live to go get coins to do laundry. I live in a complex that required quarters to do laundry, so I told myself that everytime I need quarters I will walk the 10 minutes to get them in town. It’s such a pretty walk in the cool morning and adds a little extra exercise to my day!
I love those brown rice tortillas!
We have a huge hill in my neighborhood, and I always take the dog on it for walks. Makes it a great mini workout for me 🙂
I love these kinds of lists! Baby chasing totally counts as activity! Yesterday my 13-month old took off in Whole Foods and I had to chase him around the aisles…
Another favourite of mine: Walk instead of driving somewhere!
We actually don’t own a car, but I’m very lucky to live in a city where public transportation works really well. So the walk to the closest train station, carrying groceries home, etc. all adds up. The only downside is that it takes so much longer to run errands, but I am active at the same time.
Plus, I can take my son out of his stroller when he’s had enough of it and have him look out the window of the train or bus and interact with him, something I would not be able to do with a car.
I usually have to walk some kind of lap around my office floor to keep my eyes from burning. For regular fitness, though, I work out in the mornings. Then, if I’m feeling particularly lazy or lethargic after work, I don’t feel guilty about not having the energy to workout.
Also, when you talked about pushing buttons all the time, and people getting lazy, toooooootally made me think of Wall-E. Everything was literally handed to them as they lounged in floaty chairs at a spacey resort. I can’t imagine having this body, but not having energy enough to move it like them. Scary!
I think the use of the internet has also had a negative impact on patience. If you think about it, we can get mostly everything on the internet and with the click of a button, its instant. So, imagine when we are in the “real” world and something takes longer than expected…some get irritated and grumpy and some even vocalize their frustration. But, I think as a whole, society could be a little more patient…it would definitely make things more peaceful 🙂 Its something I try to work at everyday
This is so true. I was going to comment and say, “I always park farther away from the entrances of stores.” But that is TOTALLY not a health thing. I do it because if I have to circle the parking lot fifty million times, get stuck behind people camping for a spot, have people walk in front of my car, etc. I become a lunatic. Then, by the time I get my sweet spot by the door, I’m ready to kill someone, haha. And I’m not like that at ALL in real life. Me parking in the first spot I see is just the mentally healthy thing to do 🙂
i’m the same way. i just park where i see a spot, where no one is going to ding my car haha
I always walk to my boss’ office when I have a question or whatever instead of paging him on the phone. It’s only a few steps, but a few are better than none 🙂
My grocer actually does offer onlin shipping where you can just pick up your order. I am way too picky about choosing the perfect produce though (and I kinda love my weekly trips to the grocery store :))
A few things I do are take advantage of walking during my work day (between teaching classes), carry my grocery bags instead of using a cart (within reason, of course), parking further away in a parking lot and always taking the stairs. 🙂
This post hits home on many levels! One that stands out though is the grocery shopping. My local grocery offers online shopping and home delivery. Grocery shopping is not my favorite task and I’d love the time it takes added back to my life. BUT, I’ve never gone down the delivery road because aside from the associated cost it makes me feel too disconnected from my food to think of someone else picking out my produce, or really any item.
This is great. My job is generally very active (I’m a grad student and I work in a lab) but lately I’ve been writing most of the time and can’t believe how lethargic I feel compared to day when I move around all day!
Question though – I have always been reluctant to do stuff like “10 pull ups when you leave the room” <- in my dreams, but you know the random strength training stuff people are always encouraging you to do when you have a few minutes because I always though it was really important to warm up your muscles well with some cardio before doing any strength training. Is it really fine to get up from your computer in the middle of the day and do a bunch of bicep curls or a plank? Would walking around for a minute or two be enough warm up? I've actually wondered about this a lot so I'd love your perspective.
I love a certain amount of automation. If I’m pressed for time, I can use the self-checkout at CVS for my one item, instead of waiting behind 6 people with a dozen items each. At the grocery store, I can pick up a hand scanner at the entrance, scan & bag my groceries as I shop, and then check out in a self-checkout line in just a few seconds! I love getting out of stores as fast as possible. It means I can get home and spend the extra time with my dog! Amy is a much sweeter canine to be around when she gets two walks a day, and being active with her helped me lose and KEEP OFF (for 10 months now!) a total of 85 lbs. Amy always knew when I was being lazy, and acted like a terror until I’d get up and move with her. Funny how I’d do something for her sake that I had trouble doing for my own, like being regularly active.
I hate standing in line at stores and losing time I can use elsewhere, or being at the mercy of someone with a lot of groceries and coupons who then haggles over sale prices with the cashier, and I love having the option of doing things for myself. Not everyone has the motivation to spend their time saved in one place doing something like going to the gym for an hour, though, so I can see that automation isn’t always good for every body in every situation. But I try to see it as a gift to do something good with!
Loved this post- I am always trying to think of more ways to get a liitle more activity in my day. On days I don’t workout or don’t incorporate cardio, I try and make a point to do more at work- I will walk to get the mail, clean up, vaccuum (I work in a jewelry store : ), etc. Off to do #4- window shop at Home Goods- the ABQ FINALLY got one!! : )
I love the brown rice tortillas, but what is your trick when rolling them for a burrito?
I heat mine up for 20-25 seconds first, but they still crack and all my egss and cheese fall out! lol
A trick I use that works really well is to lay the tortilla on top of the eggs when they are almost done cooking and then cover the pan with a lid. I leave it for about 1-3 minutes. The steam heats and softens the tortilla perfectly! mmmm, now I’m craving a hot egg-rito… (with sea salt, nutritional yeast and jelly!)
that sounds amaaaaaazing
Thanks! I can’t wait to try that in the morning!
I have an office job so finding ways to move more during the day is really tough. Something I try to do is take the long way everywhere – bathroom, printer (I send my stuff to the printer on the other side of the office), breakroom, etc. I’m pretty sure my co-workers think I’m crazy, but it’s all good as long as I get my steps in!
I’ve been back to Trader Joe’s twice and they’re still out of their raw almond butter here. 🙁 Somehow I’ve managed to find plenty of other things to buy, though! 🙂
I love the tip on window shopping, although, that one usually works against me in the financial aspect.
Before my grandma passed we had this conversation several times. She was very healthy and she never really “tried”. We live in the south so she ate a lot of typical southern food (fried chicken, biscuits made from lard, cobblers and dessert everyday after dinner) but back then they worked in the fields, walked to a lot of places, no tv, video games, or computer to sit down to. Plus even though their food was not neccesarily healthy, it was home grown, not processed. I definitely feel like our eating effects us and put that with today’s conveniences. People don’t really HAVE to be active anymore. It’s interesting how things have changed. Obviously a lot has been for the better, but some things, maybe not so much in some aspects.
To sneak in a little extra activity, I don’t sit down while I’m on the phone at home. Whether it’s for 2 minutes or 45 minutes, I try to stay moving.
that is so fascinating to me, and the same way my grandparents and great grandparents are/were. my great grandfather recently passed away (and was over 100) and ate tons of mexican food: fried, cheesy, pastries, whatever. he also worked, extremely hard, until he was in his 80s and only ate “real” food. i’m pretty sure my nana made everything fresh- nothing from a package. it’s amazing to see the impact that active lifestyle and real foods can have on health and longevity
Hi Gina,
Two things:
1) How do you eat those brown rice tortillas? I am also gluten-sensitive and have tried to buy them before and they just break apart the second I try to fold them so I stopped buying them. Is there a trick to making them work as a wrap? Any tips would be great!!
2) They have automated grocery shopping here in Boston! I have never tried it because I actually LOVE grocery shopping but I know some busy moms who do it. You just go online and pick out your items and for extra $7 or 8 dollars the store will deliver all your groceries for you. I think it would also be great if you are trying to stay on a strict grocery budget because you could see your total and adjust as needed.
Thanks!
Lindsay
1) i break them apart where they crack naturally, put some of the egg and salsa on the piece, roll it up and eat it
2)that is really awesome
xoxo
I bought that body butter last week from TJs and put it in my bathroom cupboard and forgot about it! Later today, I need to slather it on and test it out!
I workout almost daily, but I like spending more time being active than just that one hour at the gym. I’m a teacher, so I try to make a conscious effort to spend the majority of my day on my feet, walking around instead of sitting at the front of my room and talking at the kids. I swear it makes me more energized than sitting all day would!
Thank you for these tips! Sometimes when life is crazy busy with work and after-work activities, it feels really hard to fit in workouts! But I love the idea that I can be doing lots of things throughout the day to be a little more active! And btw I’m trying to like the brown rice tortillas but they seem so hard and always tear! Do you microwave them before you use??
I park furthest away from the door, take the stairs and get up every hour and walk for 5 minutes.
These are great tips! I have one of those desk jobs and it’s amazing how exhausted I feel from sitting all day… I also rarely take a real lunch break but, today, I think I’ll actually leave my desk for a bit and enjoy some nice, fall-like weather! And do some calf raises on my way downstairs =) Thanks for the little push!
I’m a full time yoga and Pilates teacher in NYC and grocery shopping is a continual activity in my life. Single girl, trying to stay healthy, I tend to buy a lot if fresh fruits and veggies a few times a week (just what I’m going to eat immediately) and sometimes it feels like I spend all my time in grocery stores. On top of it I don’t live close to TJs or WF or any big market so if I shop in my neighborhood I have to go to more than one place to get everything I need, and if I go to TJs or WF it means an hour commute carrying groceries (and I do all of these things at least twice a week). And sometimes I’m so crazy with my teaching that I do t have time to get groceries (or worse, I end up carting them with me from studio to studio), and I’m so grateful to have a delivery service available. I don’t do it all the time but depending on my schedule I might order once a week, or maybe once every few months. So helpful. But I see what you’re saying about automation and mobility, I realize not everyone is a crazy teacher like me.
When I used to work crazy hours I had all my clothes sent out to be cleaned. It was so expensive, and doing laundry is such a pleasant, meditative activity that I was depriving myself of. :). Great ideas!
I love walking on my breakst at work – I get to go outside and stretch my legs and I feel so much more refreshed when I sit back down at my desk. I am also a really big proponent of setting a schedule for working out and doing my best to stick to it 90% of the time (which means for me, building in flexibility to take a night off). It gets me up and moving!
Someone told me recently that Sam’s Club has that option to place your grocery order ahead of time. I love grocery shopping as well, but maybe I won’t enjoy chasing 3 kids around Costco in a few years haha.
We have a pull-up bar in the doorway of our office, which happens to be across the hall from the baby’s room. Every time I put him down for a nap, I try to do a pull-up. Two days ago – it happened! No cheating, no jumping…an actual man-style pull-up. I couldn’t even do that *before* I had the baby haha.
I also use to use an exercise ball as my chair when I had a desk job a year ago. I think I started a trend. I didn’t last long there because I realized very quickly that I couldn’t sit at a desk and stare at a computer screen all day, but by the end of my time there, over half the office (15ish people?) was using balls as chairs. I guess that was my purpose for being there?
that is AMAZING
I love this list and is something that hits me hard because I have a 40+ hour a week desk job and do a lot of sitting. Although I exercise frequently, I’ve been looking for ways to increase my activity level throughout the while day. One thing that is exciting – my work is moving to a newly renovated building in a few months and they’re installing these fancy desks/monitors that can go up and down at the touch of a button so it’ll be super easy to stand during the work day!
All good tips! I need to keep my eye out for a pedometer – I could use one!
I live about 5 minutes away from campus, so during the day I try to go home between classes or if I have a long break rather than hang around. If I got back and forth between 2-3 times a day, that definitely adds up quickly.
Thanks for the great tips! We live in an apartment on the 3rd floor so I usually get in some stairs a few times a day. Just about to start the spooky sweat fest!! My muscles still remember feeling sore from the last time I did it, haha
Great list! I always park far from stores for a long walk and I always take the stairs!
Living in NYC grocery shopping is a challenge. Traditional grocery stores here have AWFUL quality produce at a premium price. Plus, although walking with groceries is great exercise, sometimes its hard to do a big haul by yourself down a couple avenues/streets, avoiding other walkers on the sidewalk and stopping for lights. TJs and WFs in the city are notoriously busy with lines 20 minutes long snaking through the aisle if you shop on a Sunday afternoon, which everyone does because that’s the only time anyone has to go. Add in a miniscule fridge and non-existent pantry, which makes it hard to stock up for long periods of time.
That said, I use Fresh Direct sometimes for my grocery delivery. Yes it takes the experience and added exercise of walking the aisles away from me. But the quality is SO MUCH BETTER. The downside is that I don’t get to touch and feel my produce for freshness, or pick the perfect size somethingorother for my household’s needs. Its often a surprise what I will get in the box that comes. I’ve gotten HUGE watermelons and pumpkins by accident because I can never be sure what will be selected for me. Its a catch-22, for sure!
I like your husbands comment that making certain tasks more convenient/easier leaves more time for working out and gym trips. This is absolutely true. When most of my time at the grocery store is spent standing on line, my time is certainly better spent elsewhere.
Exactly what Dani said!Agreed with all.
I was going to post this myself.I live in NYC as well, and use Fresh Direct. The downside for me is that I can’t pick the produce. Sometimes I get a spaghetti squash a size of a tennis ball!
i was wondering how people in nyc and huge cities did that. i couldn’t imagine having to walk/commute/subway with as many groceries as i get at once. it definitely makes an option like fresh direct seem appealing, even though you can’t pick the exact produce yourself.
I love rounding up my girlfriends for a fun active ladies night– pole dancing class, zumba, yoga, nice girls hike, pick up soccer game, play rec dodgeball, go bowling etc., we all still get to see each other and gossip but were getting some fun active time in together
My new office job has definitely tapped into my activity level for sure! I ALWAYS take the stairs no matter what!!! I hate elevators, plus this keeps me moving (at least a little). I also try to take the dog for a walk, and get up to ask people things, instead of e-mail or call them! 🙂
I have so many pictures of my little Love Nugget, our dog and the BOB just like that from when we go on walks. Something about the little feet sticking out just melts my heart! Wait till Liv starts dancing around too! Then you’ll really have fun with impromtu dance parties! My little guy’s favorite song right now is the Psy Gangnam style (I know, not the most appropriate) and we love to boogie down to it!
it makes me so happy, too! liv can already dance a little bit- when music plays, she bounces up and down.. i love it 🙂
that box of squash blossoms makes me want to cry they’re so amazing. please tell me you bought some… i live in portland and i think our blossom season is over 🙁 i love them SOo much.
i did! it was last summer when i took that pic, though. i stuffed them with herbed goat cheese and pan-fried them. amazing
Rather than doing a big grocery haul once a week, I strap the kids in the double stroller and walk to the store almost every day and pick up fresh ingredients for dinner. The babies LOVE it, and even if I don’t make it to the gym that day, at least I know I managed to squeeze in a 1.5 mile walk.
i love this idea! tucson isn’t very walkable- otherwise, i’d love to do something like this
This is what I do too, and my son loves to see everyone at the store while we’re shopping so it’s a nice daily outing. I live in NYC but belong to a food co-op so the produce is amazing and reasonably priced. The lines can be ridiculous but I know what times to go when shopping is more sane.
I haven’t been to TJ’s in awhile.. how much are those brown rice tortillas?
i think $3?
I love living in the city where walking is a part of every day life. My favorite is walking home after going out to eat. Really helps with that post-mexican food baby 🙂
I’m not the most active person naturally so I find I really have to make time to add movement into my day. Besides scheduling in a workout I always take the stairs and park my car far away from the store. Every little bit helps right?
I bought that coconut butter as an impulse buy at TJ’s last week and I love it! It smells like the real deal – I want to eat it!
I joined a gym about a half mile from my house an walk there an back the 2-3 times a week I go. It’s a little something extra. On runs I usually will build in an extra half mile to two miles of just walking.
Love these tips! I’m always trying to squeeze a little more activity into my day and some of my favorite ways are to dance around while I’m cooking/cleaning/getting ready, parking far away from the store, getting up every 15 minutes that I’m at the computer, meeting friends to go for a walk, and shopping 😉 I’ve also found that wearing a pedometer really helps motivate you to try to get more steps in your day. I should start wearing mine again and see where I’m at…
Walking is my favorite exercise! I wear a pedometer often and always try to get at least 10,000 steps in a day. 🙂
Thanks for the tips! For the past few weeks I have been biking to and from work. I save more on gas, I get to work faster, and I log 2 extra miles a day! I also make sure to clean the house every morning before work.
Speaking of the Pilot’s lunches, what does he pack?
I have a very hard time thinking of things for my husband’s lunch that are somewhat healthy. Unlike me, a hearty salad just won’t do for him.
I think this would be an awesome post idea – just a suggestion. 🙂
In NYC we take it a step further….there’s a service/company called Fresh Direct where you do exactly that. Except after you click away at your computer screen and submit your order, it’s actually delivered straight to your door! Everything is all about convenience, in New York. I wonder though, it being a huge metropolitan area, if more people fall into the category your husband describes (you find more people here with gym memberships than not).
Love this post!
Sometimes after I workout in the morning I feel that it gives me the right to be lazy for the rest of the day, which I know isn’t true! So I try to squeeze in activity by doing mini 10 minute cleaning sprees of my apartment, walking to class instead of taking the bus, and doing yoga/stretching while watching tv.
When I’m working to deadline and basically imprisoned in front of the computer, I like to take regular breaks and bust out a yoga move, or some pressups, plyometric lunges, squats. This helps get some activity and wake up the brain too.