Physical activity has numerous known benefits, including preventing chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, helping to manage weight, improving muscular strength and conditioning, and the list goes on.
It's probably safe to say that most of us know the benefits -– so why is it that 50% of Canadians are considered inactive?
Barriers! Otherwise known as excuses.
The common barriers to exercising regularly include factors than fall into one of the following main excuses: too tired, too little time, too much pain, too old, too healthy (otherwise known as those people who feel they are not overweight and therefore do not need to exercise!), too little money, too few friends, too little motivation.
Too bad.
This segment of LifeTime is about strategies that should quell most of these excuses.
The challenge of this segment is to try incorporating up to 20 or 30 minutes of 'lifestyle' activity into your daily routine.
This type of physical activity is more enjoyable and sustainable, helps to foster a sense of accomplishment, and may even be the foundation to a long, healthier, more active life.
It's about making small, purposeful lifestyle changes, since lifestyle activity can be done in short bouts that are accumulated throughout the day.
I want you to think about the answer to this simple question, and write down all your answers before downloading the tips I have provided.
Compare your answers, use whatever strategies you will use (the best exercise is ALWAYS the exercise you will do!), and for 2 weeks try to incorporate a little more activity into your day.
Question: Think about your day and imagine all that you encounter in that day. Are there times when you can be more active (e.g., times when you choose the faster or shorter or easier route)? When? How? Write them all down.
To ask a question send an email to lifetimemontreal@ctv.ca.
