Habit #2 Moving Daily

Many of us don't have jobs that require us to exert ourselves too much physically, so the only exercise we get daily is the walk from the car to the office. If you work from home, this is even less movement.

And then, after work, if we head home and go from sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen to sitting on a couch watching TV, we get very little movement in at all. In time, this lack of movement and activity takes its toll. From aches and pains to weight gain and poor mood, moving too little each day has an impact.

So, habit number 2 is about developing a daily habit of intentional movement.

But what does that mean?

It means every day taking some time to do something that involves raising your heartbeat and gets your blood pumping.

I use the term movement over exercise, as hearing the word exercise can put people off developing this habit as, from past experience, they see it as hard work. Done correctly, it does not have to be.

Starting small, building up stamina and strength and staying consistent is the way to go.

There are many ways to get some movement each day, from a simple walk around where you live to working out in a gym or taking up a sport. Mixing up the activities helps keep us interested, and mixing up the intensity helps keep us injury-free so we can do something every day.

For example, I lift weights three times a week, do yoga once, gentle cardio twice and then one big walk. So I do something every day of the week and never need to take a day off because I mix up the activities and intensity.

But I did not start with this schedule; I built it up from a very steady start.

Your activity should be for a minimum of 20 minutes; even the busiest of people can find 20 minutes a day, so there are no excuses.

And don't worry about overtraining; this sounds counterintuitive, but regular movement does not tire us; quite the opposite. Intentional movement makes our bodies more efficient and will result, if done correctly, in more energy and a better mood.

The hardest part of developing this habit is starting. A top tip is to start with a 20-minute walk first thing in the morning. Don't just stroll; go at a pace that feels like you're making an effort but not too fast that you feel breathless. Do this as close to waking up as possible. This 20-minute walk will not only ease you into the habit, it will also wake you up better than any espresso.

Come back tomorrow for Habit #3.

Take Care

GB