Get Up & GO!! A to Z Weight-Loss Tips for Long-Term Success - Tip G

GET UP and GO!

So, I have been discussing "A-Z weight-loss tips" related to nutrition, but we cannot live a healthy lifestyle without engaging in the other side of the energy balance equation:  Exercise!

Bottom line for weight loss:
The Calories you eat need to be less than the Calories you expend.

How much exercise do we need? Well, that depends on the person. 
However, for long-term weight loss this is the recommendation from the
American College of Sports Medicine:

60 to 90 minutes of physical activity on most days

If you are currently not exercising at all, it may feel impossible to fit in an hour of exercise into your already hectic day. The good news is the exercise can be accumulated throughout the day by doing:

• Four, 15-minute bouts of exercise
• 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the evening
• or do one hour (or more) at one session

Whatever works best for you! 

Here are some ideas to get you up and GOING:

• For those who have a gym membership: Use it! There are plenty of resources there to burn calories: cardio classes, circuit training, etc.
• Power walk or jog at your lunch break.
• Walk the kids to and from school at a brisk pace.
• Do you work in a building with stairs? Walk the stairs during your breaks and lunch. 
• Instead of sitting and watching your child at soccer or ("insert sport here") practice, jog around the field.
• Hint for game days: Most kids need to show up early to their games, meets, matches, or tournaments to warm up. This is a good time to do your jogging or walking.
• Take a family power walk, hike, or bike ride after dinner.
• Get a running "Buddy" (especially the 4-legged ones) to join you on your jogs or power walks.
• Join or create a walking/running group with your friends at work, school, or church. Most people enjoy having a work-out buddy to keep them motivated.
• Like to shop? Wear your running shoes and power walk in the mall, but avoid the food court!
• Housework is no fun, but with the right intensity, it counts as exercise! Vacuuming, mopping, and mowing the lawn are great ways to get the heart pumping and burn calories. 
• Instead of watching the kids play, join in! Shoot hoops, jump rope, or play tag.
• Rainy day? Turn on the tunes and DANCE like nobody is watching! 
• Can't miss your favorite show on TV? While watching, do jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, jump rope, etc. during the show. 

Set a goal to try at least 3 of these ideas this week. Add in another one next week, and so on. Eventually you can build up to one hour or more of exercise on most days of the week and achieve long-term weight loss and health!

Now that you are done reading this, GET UP AND GO!