How to Be More Physically Active Every Day

At a Glance

Being more physically active throughout the day is a key part of improving overall fitness. There are countless ways to achieve this,  Here are a few of them. 

• Work less efficiently – use hand tools instead of power tools, self propelled instead of engine driven
• Add isometric exercises throughout the day
• Find ways to to be physically active while you are watching TV or sitting on the couch
• Walk more
• If you work at a desk, find ways to be more physically active.

This list just covers the broad categories. Keep reading for more ideas and details.

One of the pillars of Do Something 4 Health’s fitness strategy is to be more physically active throughout the day, every day.   While this part of the strategy may include exercises, you can be more physically active without them. 

I conducted a little experiment two days ago by sitting on the couch and binge-watching a TV show all day long.  I didn’t do any exercises, and I didn’t go out and split firewood like I had been for the last month.  The effect it had on my 64 year-old body was shocking.  My back and knees were killing me.  They still hurt.  Back and knee pain were key motivations for my decision to reclaim my health. I just reinforced that decision.

You have probably read some variation of many of the suggestions I offer here.  But we’ll lead with one I haven’t seen anywhere else.  It requires a major paradigm shift in how you think about work. 

Do Work Less Efficiently

Yep.  You read that right.  We are programmed to seek out ways to do things more quickly and efficiently with less effort.  In other words, make it easier.  To that end, we have a never-ending flow of new gadgets to simplify our everyday tasks.  If you’re not in a hurry, try going back to the old ways of doing things.  I see people spending hundreds or even thousands on a new mower so they can get the job done faster and get to the gym.  Why not save a lot of money and use a push mower instead?  

It makes sense to put your tools or as close as possible, right?  Try putting things farther away from where you are using them, forcing you to get up and move more. 

The biggest change I have made is to use hand tools instead of power tools as much as possible.  Each year I split 3-5 cords of wood with a maul.  As long as I am able to do that, I will not buy a hydraulic wood splitter.  In my carpentry work, I use hand saws instead of electric saws, a hammer instead of a nail gun, and a screwdriver instead of my drill with a screwdriver bit.   On top of improving my fitness, it makes the work more enjoyable for me.  You can follow the same principle for the garden, kitchen, or general household chores.

Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises involve creating resistance against a muscle and holding it in one position.  Here is a good video with 20 basic isometric exercises, some of which you can do lots of places. I also wrote an article on 2 abdominal exercises you can do anywhere.

Be More Physically Active While Watching TV

When I did my experiment, I just sat like a vegetable on the couch all day.  Normally, I do some sort of exercise while I’m watching or during commercials.  It is a great time for me to work on building more muscle support for my bum knees.  There is no end to the possibilities.  What I list here doesn’t even scratch the surface. 

• Leg Raisers – sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor.  Raise your leg until it sticks straight out in front of you.  I add 5 pounds of ankle weights when I do this.
• Pedal exerciser – motion is lotion.  I got an inexpensive pedal exerciser that I use when I’m watching something.
• Isometric exercises or calisthenics – Great to do a quick set during a commercial. The possibilities here are endless
• Chair squats – Stand up and sit back down without using your hands. Do this for the length of a commercial.

Walk More

You have probably heard most of these suggestions before, so I won’t add much commentary. 

• Take a detour -An easy way to add more steps to your day is to make yourself walk more when doing basic tasks. 
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.  If you’re out of shape, start with just one flight and work your way up.
• Park farther away and walk if it’s safe.
• Walk or stand on your tip-toes.  It’s a great way to strengthen your calves and develop balance.
• Take a walk break – Try to fit a few 5-10 minute walk breaks throughout the day.

Get Physically Active At Your Desk

Working at a desk all day can be brutal on your body over the long haul.  Here are some ideas to use in the office. 

• Institute a 50/10 rule – Make sure you get up and move at least 10 minutes out of every hour.
• Isometric exercises –  Pick some you can do at your desk that don’t look freaky to your coworkers.  You can even invent your own exercises if you experiment with pressing and pulling positions that you can feel working different muscle groups. 
• Chair exercises – here is a good infographic that might give you some ideas on exercises you can do while sitting in your chair.

As you can see, with a little thought and creativity, you can develop lots of ways to be more physically active every day.  Try starting with just one new thing for a week or two, then add others as the first ones become habits.