I know that you’re incredibly busy……car pool, soccer games, work, laundry, paying bills….the list is endless. Believe me…I know this all-too-well!

This week’s post is focusing on how to get more movement into your day without having to carve out an hour to do it.

I’m a big advocate of more movement. Researchers have coined the phrase ‘Sitting is the new smoking’, and I believe this. I’m sure I sit for an average of 6 hours a day, and I’m sure, if you clocked it, you’re probably in the same boat.

Here are 7 easy moves you can engage in throughout your day to build muscle, stretch your back, and increase some lymph flow….all things that we lack with a sedentary lifestyle.

1. Before getting out of bed...

• roll your wrists and ankles
• rub the soles of your feet and palms of your hands together
• Do a stretch by bringing your knee toward your chest and rolling it over to the opposite side. Switch sides

2. Anytime you need to bend down to get ANYTHING, squat instead of bending.

This helps adjust your hips, strengthen your thigh muscles and Glut. muscles. You will get so strong, so fast! I find that I end up doing about 20 squats a day just from this practice.

3. Stretch your arms when going through door frames.

We tend to stay in a ‘flexed’ posture, which means we’re constantly leaning over toward our steering wheels, computers and phones. This means we need more extension. When I walk through the doorway in my office, I reach my arms up above me and hold onto the door frame and stretch forward. You can do this above your head and also out to the sides of the door frame. You should feel a stretch in your shoulder and chest and it should feel really good!

4. Park far away from the door.

Instead of looking for the closest possible parking space, look for the furthest. This gives you an extra opportunity to walk and move.

5. Stretch your legs while getting gas. 

Instead of checking Instagram while you’re refueling, try doing some leg stretches. I like to grab my ankle and pull my foot toward my buttock, giving my Quadriceps muscles a good stretch. Additionally, you can either do some lunges or do some ‘toe-ups’. I’m not sure if this is the right name, but it’s basically moving up and down on your toes, which strengthens your calf muscles.

6. Dance while you’re cleaning up the kitchen.

I put on my running music mix from Spotify and dance while I wash the dishes. Dancing helps release endorphins, which are your ‘happy’ chemicals. Plus, dancing is just the BEST. Why not? Make yourself laugh and have FUN!

7. Walk, walk, walk.

Anytime I can walk, I do. This includes when I brush my teeth, talk on the phone, and chatting with friends. I move whenever I can. I’d like to encourage you to think of those times that you might be sitting and if that activity is something you can do while walking instead. When I’m on a long phone call or meeting, I walk around my house, go out into my garden. When I’m getting together with my girlfriends, we almost always walk and talk rather than sitting around (the food and sitting still happens, but we make walking part of our social time). When I’m brushing my teeth, I walk around my bathroom, bedroom and go outside a bit ( yes, I brush my teeth for THAT long).

My Challenge for you

• Where can you find more movement in your life?
• Can you start squatting when you’re picking up that dropped spoon in the kitchen?
• What about parking further away from the door at the mall?
• Maybe it’s taking that 5 minutes while you fill up your gas tank.
• Whatever you choose, commit to yourself that you’ll get more movement in.

Love you all! I hope you’re enjoying the summer and all of the joy of family and friends. Please share with us what you’re doing this summer for extra movement!

Yours in health always,

Dr. Arjan