We Need to Move It Move It!
Researchers suggests that exercise is important not only for our physical health, but for our mental health at all. Getting up and moving gets your endorphins moving which can help to eliminate depression. I’ve asked Elizabeth Dixon, the Wellness, Medical and Childcare Supervisor for Chick-fil-A Corporate Headquarters to share with us today. You can check out her website at /http://biteanelephant.com/
We all have our own perspectives on exercise. Some of us think the idea of sweating sounds awful. Others of us would not run unless a rabid animal was chasing us. While others of us are fanatics and can’t imagine a day without exercise. The reality is that in America, especially corporate America, most of us sit for the majority of the day. Our most active moments in the day include getting out of the car (where we were seated) to walk to our desks (so we can sit) and after awhile we get up to use the restroom (well…i guess ladies sit more than gentlemen) and then to get some lunch (again, most likely seated). As a result our daily routines cause us to burn fewer calories throughout the day than if we had active schedules. Mix this with eating more than our body needs and you get a perfect storm of low energy and added pounds. So what do we do about it? We eat smaller portions more often and we exercise most days of the week. This does not mean we have to go to a gym – it simply means we need to be active. Here is a list of ideas of how to incorporate activity into your schedule. Pick 1 and add it in this week:
1. Pick up a sport – basketball, racquetball, ping pong, or tennis
2. Family walk after dinner
3. Take a few laps around the soccer field during your children’s practice
4. Have a business meeting while walking the parking lot, or if you have a gym
nearby – have your meeting on the treadmills
5. Follow up on voicemail, or a catch up phone call with a friend while you are
on a walk
Ideally we need to be active 30 – 60 minutes (accumulated in the day, not necessarily consecutive) most days of the week.
What would the end of your day feel like if you had quality energy?