Getting Active

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Since graduating from college this past December and moving to Florida, I’ve been unpleasantly surprised by the sudden change of inactivity in my life. West Virginia University has a gorgeous campus. You could (and would) walk anywhere and everywhere in that town. It was also extremely hilly, so without realizing it, you were working different muscles.

Now, I need to drive to work, sit at a computer desk for 8.5 hours, drive home, watch some TV and cook dinner, then go to sleep. My activity level did a complete 180 and I can feel the difference immensely not only physically, but mentally as well.

To help this, I’m finding ways to adjust my daily behavior to bring constant activity back into my life. I’ll do a separate post later on about how to bring activity into the office life, but right now I am focusing on weekends & after work on the weekdays.

1. Be outside, moving, for at least 30 minutes a day. No exceptions.

I am not a long distance runner. To put it simply, I’m not to that level of agility yet.If you’re anything like me, the worst thing I can do is force myself to do something that I have zero interest in doing. If I make myself go out and run 4 miles a day, I will end up resenting it and just quitting it completely. So, rather, I am just telling myself to go be active outside for at least 30 minutes a day.

This morning (it’s a Saturday), I ran/jogged/walked outside for a half an hour. It was a gorgeous day, and being outside in the fresh air is just so relaxing.

2. Don’t feel like you need to be at a certain point, physically. Do what you can.

I have awful allergies. Dj and I adopted two kitten brothers a few months ago, so that, mixed with the seasonal pollen makes it hard to run for more than 2-3 minutes straight at a time. That’s okay, changing up your pace is actually better for your body. So, if you need to take a break and walk, walk.

3. Find a beautiful place to go

I got lucky. Right behind my apartment complex is an old, abandoned golf course. They have built apartment complexes around the land, but there are still the old cart paths that surround beautiful lakes and trees. Go out and explore!

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You can even see some of the old golf hole numbers on the paths!

4. Make a really great workout playlist. 

Pump yourself up! When I work out, I like to have happy, electric music that I can dance and have a great time to. Below are my top 10 favorite songs to work out to while I’m doing cardio. This list is always changing, so if at any time you’d like any suggestions, just ask! 🙂

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5. Switch it up and have fun! 

Walking, running, swimming, jogging, tennis, soccer, and volleyball are my favorite forms of staying active. Just like music choices, everyone’s are different, so do what YOU enjoy. Also, similar to your music selection, if you listen to the same 10 songs on repeat, you’ll get bored- fast. Don’t be afraid to try new things!

3 Comments

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