Want to know a secret about fitness?

You don’t have to do all your exercise in a gym.

It’s true!

The fact is this: We can easily get more movement throughout the day just by making little adjustments to our actions. These shorter bursts of activity count toward our daily goals of staying in motion, whether they’re about steps, calories, or any other measure.

Here are some of the simplest ways to do it.

1. Start the day with a few light stretches.
2. Always park at the far end of lots so you’ll walk extra steps to your destination (skip the drive-thrus).
3. Use stairs instead of elevators when possible (forget about moving walkways at the airport).
4. Invite coworkers on walking meetings.
5. Use a standing desk and make calls when standing or walking.
6. Set a timer to remind you to get up and walk every 30-60 minutes, at work or at home.
7. Ask friends or dates to do something active together instead of sitting for a meal.
8. Dance around when cooking or cleaning the house.
9. Never stay seated for a commercial break…get up and move.
10. Go check the mail every day.
11. Wear a fitness tracker as it will keep movement top of mind.

Steps like these are easy to see when we think a bit creatively. I bet you can think of more without much effort. Make a game of it! Have fun and move – it feels so good 🙂

You may not realize it, but it makes a huge difference!