Habit #3: Move Your Body

Today, I'm continuing my ongoing series, Top 10 Habits to Get Healthy Value for Your Time. 

Habit #3: Move your body for at least 30 minutes each day.

I doubt that there are any of us who haven't heard that exercise is good for us. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website gives detailed recommendations regarding physical activity. Their recommendations are thorough and well-researched, but complex enough that they seem to make many people's eyes glaze over. Since we're focusing on baby steps, how can we make it easy? Here are a few thoughts.

Shoot for a goal of 30 minutes of moderate activity each day.

Yes, you may need more exercise than this if you have goals like running a marathon or losing 100 pounds. And you may need to start with smaller goals, especially if you have been very sedentary or have significant health issues. But for most people who are generally healthy and concerned about maintaining overall health, this is a reasonable goal.

Think about activity, not exercise.

The word "exercise" has negative associations for many people. Shift your perspective by thinking in terms of physical activity or simply moving your body.

Break it down.

Your daily 30 minutes can be broken down into chunks as small as 10 minutes at a time. This can make it much easier to work activity into smaller spaces in your schedule.

You don't have to be dripping with sweat.

We're talking about a moderate level of activity. To count toward this recommendation, your heart rate needs to increase and you should feel that you're working, but you don't need to be gasping for air or pushing yourself as hard as you can. An easy guideline is that, at a moderate level of exertion, you can talk but can't sing.

Make it fun.

If you hate running, then don't run! Choose activities that you enjoy.

Choose activities that are readily available.

If it takes 30 minutes to drive to the gym, find a parking space, change clothes, and get ready to exercise, most of us just won't do it consistently. What kinds of activity can you do without traveling?

Choose activities that allow you to "multi-task" with other goals.

For example, if you don't exercise because you want to spend time with your kids, then find ways to be active with your kids. Dancing along to the Wiggles is good exercise, more fun than you might expect, and it keeps your kids active too! (The downside is that it may take a week to get "Fruit Salad" out of your head.)

Listen to the excuses that stop you from being active, and look at them as opportunities for learning about your own preferences.

Often these excuses are obstacles that can be solved. For example, if you hear yourself saying, "I don't want to get all sweaty," then think about how you can be active without getting sweaty. Many forms of yoga don't involve sweating; you don't feel sweaty when swimming or doing water exercise; or you might choose to exercise indoors or at cooler times of the day.

Start where you are.

If 30 minutes a day, or even 10 minutes at a stretch, is too much for you right now, start with what you can do. I've worked with people who started with as little as 3 minutes of walking at a time, and we celebrated when they were able to increase to 5 or 6 minutes. Any activity is better than no activity.

Notice the benefits now.

Many of the benefits of exercise are realized in the long term: decreased risk of heart disease, improved bone density, and even weight loss can be hard to see in the short term. I'd ask you to pay attention to how activity benefits you in the short term. Notice your mood before and after you exercise. Do you have more energy? Do you sleep more soundly? Are you having fun? These are some of the benefits that provide greater motivation in the moment.

If you have not been exercising regularly, are pregnant, or have any health problems, you should check in with your doctor before increasing your activity level. Most health issues can be improved with activity, but you may need to observe specific limitations or guidelines in order to exercise safely.

What's one way that you'll increase your activity level this week? How will you make it fun?

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