10 ways to increase your daily physical activity

You may have seen this video floating around the interwebs over the past several months.  It's well-presented, throughly researched, and interesting to watch, but if you don't have 9 minutes and 19 seconds to watch it, skip it and I'll get to the point below.

            Can you limit your sitting and sleeping 
                   to just 23 1/2 hours each day?


We're not talking hard-core workouts here, we're just talking about moving your body 30 minutes a day. There are ridiculous health benefits to simply walking 30 minutes each day.  In the spirit of keeping yourself out of the hospital and being able to fully enjoy the time you have on this planet, you owe it to yourself to get moving.



Try a couple of these suggestions.



1) Increase the walking time in your commute
Most of us do not have the option to walk to work, but if you do, try it.  If you drive to work, try parking further away from your workplace.  If you take the subway or the bus, get off a few stops early so that you can walk the rest of the way.

2) Take the stairs
Skip the elevator or the escalator and take the stairs instead.

3) Get a walking buddy
Make a daily date with a friend to take a 20-30 minute walk together.  It's a great way get your exercise in while you catch up on the gossip (or, for some of you, on the most recent info about the Diablo 3 release.)

4)  Get a dog. 
Dog owners are much more likely to get 30 minutes of walking in each day.  If you have a dog and someone else walks it, try to find time to shoulder some of the responsibility.

5) Turn your social dates into walking dates
If you're already a pretty social person, and you spend a good amount of time meeting friends for coffee or other social events, turn those dates into a time to walk.  Be up front and ask your friends if they would mind walking with you for 20 minutes before you meet for coffee.

6) Spend time around your friends who get more physical activity
Lifestyle choices are infectious, so if you want to get more exercise, spend time around your friends who are active.  Tell them that you want to be active, too, and ask them to include you in their plans.

7) Join a gym and create a plan to go that works for your schedule.  
Just because some sweaty guy is grunting in the corner doesn't mean that you have to.  Again, what we're going for here is 30 minutes of any activity, and walking counts.  So making a plan to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes is still better than not walking at all.  The key here is making sure that it is convenient, that it will fit into your schedule, and that you will go.  Know thyself and thy habits.

8) Go back to an exercise you used to enjoy
As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss."  If there's a physical activity that you know you like to do, GO DO IT. You can do it now, and you can find a way to do it that is non-threatening and easy.  If you used to like it, you probably still do.  Did you used to enjoy taking dance classes? Tai-Chi? Riding your bike? Soccer? Playing Frisbee? Fencing?  Running? Try going back to it.  Being happy in your choices is not a small thing. (Some would say that it is everything!)

9) Make a playlist that you love
Get geeky with your ipod and make a playlist for yourself that you adore.  Use it as a walking soundtrack.  Or, find a podcast that knocks your socks off.  The 30 minutes will be over before you know it.

10) Have more sex
A personal favorite, and full of lots more (ahem) benefits than just the exercise.  If you're currently without a partner, treat yourself to a new toy and let the calorie-burning commence!