There Are So Many Good Reasons to Move Your Body

February 10, 2023

There Are So Many Good Reasons to Move Your Body

Want to look 10 years younger and 10 pounds lighter? Wish you could lower your risk for premature death? Um…yes, yes and YES.

Who doesn’t?

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to spend a lot of money on cosmetic procedures or expensive skin creams, exclusive gym memberships or pricey diet foods. It turns out, regular physical activity is key to them all. Nothing works better than 30 minutes of exercise each day.

Sure, looking great is a great motivator to get moving, but there are plenty of other reasons, too. Clinical studies show regular physical activity reduces your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression and other life-threatening diseases. Other studies reveal the flip side of the coin: People who don’t exercise can lose as much as 80 percent of their muscle strength by the time they turn 65.

Despite all the compelling reasons to get moving and keep moving, about 60 percent of U.S. adults don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity—and nearly 65 percent aren’t active at all.

Don’t be one of them. Get up off the couch and put on your sneakers. We have some tips to keep you moving.

Ditch the excuses.

You can find lots of reasons not to exercise. Instead, give yourself reasons to look forward to being active. Here’s some inspiration.

Make it fun: Do activities you enjoy. Play tennis, go for a bike ride, walk the dog, take a yoga class, play a pick-up game. Just move!

Find a friend: Working out with a bestie can help you stay motivated. You’re less likely to blow off exercise when you have a date with a workout buddy.

Move to music: Listening to your favorite tunes while you’re active distracts you from fatigue and relaxes your muscles to encourage to encourage blood flow.

Mix it up: Match your exercise to your mood. Feeling low? Go for a walk in the park. Keyed up from work? Take a high-energy spin class. Missing your kids? Go for a bike ride with them.

Reward yourself: Set a goal (say, working out three times this week), then reward yourself with a nonfood treat when you reach it.

Find easy ways to work the “E” word into your daily routine.

Many people avoid exercise because they think it requires a major time commitment. You don’t have to block out large chunks of your day to move more and stay fit. Small, easy tweaks to your daily routine can rack up lots of bennies. For example:

• Stand up while you talk on the phone.
• Get off the bus a few blocks early and walk to your destination.
• Skip elevator and use the stairs instead.
• Take a quick walk around the building at lunch.
• Walk down the hall to speak to a coworker instead of phoning, texting or emailing.
• Park far away from the entry of your office or grocery store.

Walk your way to fitness.

Regular brisk walking delivers amazing benefits. It fends off heart disease and stroke, melts body fat, strengthens bones and muscles, boosts energy, improves your mood and helps you sleep better. Plus, it releases endorphins and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) —a hormone that reduces pain, triggers euphoria and helps control the brain’s response to stress and anxiety.

The faster, farther and more often you walk, the more benefits you rack up. Start out with an average walking speed, then work your way up to a faster pace. Try walking a mile in less time. Or alternate between stretches of regular walking with brisk walking. Pay attention to your posture while you move. Keep your head up. Relax your neck, shoulders and back. Swing your arms to pump up your heart rate.

Can’t always fit in a long walk during your day? Studies show five short walk breaks throughout the day deliver big benefits. Mini walkers feel less hungry, more energized, happier and more focused.

Go for a quick 100 calorie burn.

It turns out many of the things you may do in your everyday life can do double duty—knock out a chore and do your body good. Each of these short bursts of activity burn 100 calories.

• Weed the garden or plant flowers for 15 minutes
• Break out the vacuum for 25 minutes
• Mow the lawn for 25 minutes (no riding mowers!)
• Suds up your car for 20 minutes
• Rake leaves for 20 minutes
• Walk Fido for 23 minutes

Want to blow off some steam while you burn a cool 100?

• Ride your bike for 40 minutes
• Dance for 20 minutes
• Golf for 20 minutes
• Walk briskly for 15 minutes
• Jog in place for 12 minutes
• Do 146 crunches
• Do 97 pushups

Want to burn 100 calories in under 10 minutes?

• Pedal 20 mph on a stationary bike for 5 minutes
• Skip rope for 9 minutes
• Hit a tennis ball for 9 minutes

You don’t have to spend hours in the gym to boost your fitness level and make strides toward better health. Everyone can find 10 minutes several times a day to move!

Be committed. Be creative. And have fun when you move. Take pleasure in knowing you are doing something important for your well-being.