Posted on January 20, 2009 - by Amanda

Simple Fitness Steps

Along with New Year’s dieting goals, many women make commitments to fitness goals too. A lot of these entail expensive gym memberships and decently large blocks of time. With a busy life, and many demands on our time it is important to remember that subtle lifestyle changes are more sustainable than grand plans and might have more impact than you think.

Walking

We had a very active friend once suggest “if you are sitting, stand, if you are standing, walk and if you are walking, run” and while this does not always work, there is a lot of truth there.  If you and a friend are sitting and chatting over coffee, why not take it to go and walk around?  If you are out walking with your kids why not race the last few hundred yards home and get that extra boost of energy as well as burn a few more calories.  Instead of sitting down to chat with a coworker why not have the conversation standing?  When you go to the store, park in the first space you come to rather than looking for one closer; you will save gasoline, time and lose a bit of what you don’t want.  All of these little things will make you feel a little more energized at the time and burn a few more calories than their alternatives.

More Walking

And there are slightly bigger changes that we can suggest. If you live within a mile and a half of a grocery store or a coffeehouse then we suggest patronizing them at least occasionally and walking to and from your destination. This distance is quite doable for all but the most sedentary and is actually a very fun activity. If you are a busy mom you can take an hour to yourself or you can take the kids with you and let them burn off some of their excess energy. If you like books on tape it can be a way to get away and listen to them. If you are in a romantic relationship it can be very good together time for simple talking and closeness without an expensive restaurant bill or being distracted by electronics.

Biking

Bicycling is another bigger step that can still be very easy. Most Americans already own a bike even if it isn’t a ridiculously fancy one. All one really needs is the bike , a lock and a helmet. If your trips are under 5 miles you can go easy and not get all sweaty like Lance Armstrong and you don’t have to be super-dedicated to reap some benefits. If you like to go downtown on Saturday mornings for coffee, or a farmer’s market or to shop with friends then skip the parking problems and bike down. If you are going to cycle even semi-regularly then someone in your household is going to have to learn the basics of bike maintenance. We will be posting a tutorial soon so you can check back for that or go down to your local bike shop and get tips there.

We understand that none of these suggestions are revolutionary nor do they promise “30 pounds in 30 days” or anything of the sort. But what they do promise is that they will be really easy to implement and they will readily become part of a more active lifestyle.