Lounging on the couch after a long day is something everyone looks forward to. Unfortunately, we all have been doing too much of it. With more of our life becoming automated we find ourselves with more “couch time.”

Just think of the last time you ordered something on Amazon, Wayfair, Walmart, etc. A few years ago you still would walk to your car, walk to the store, walk around, walk back to the car, walk back to your home. All of this walking is now gone and it starts to add up.

With increased inactivity comes more aches and pains, weight gain, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

So, what can we do to increase our activity while still enjoying the luxuries of an increasingly convenient lifestyle?

Be active everyday

Technological advances have given us more time back in our day to hopefully do what we love and not simply work more to pay for the technology. 

Make a commitment to yourself to do something active every single day. 

The simplest activity anyone can do is go for a walk. It can be a walk to the mailbox and back, around the neighborhood, or even just around your yard. You can always walk around a store or go to a gym when the weathers bad.

Make it a lifestyle

In the beginning the amount of time you walk is less important than making sure you do it every day. Make it a point to at least get out there and walk. Once it becomes habitual, you can start focusing on how long or how fast you are walking. 

Once walking becomes part of your lifestyle you won’t have to plan it into your day anymore. Instead, other daily activities will start becoming planned around your walking. This applies to any activity that you choose to do habitually and turn into a lifestyle. 

Try new activities

As you become more active you may want to try other activities such as swimming, riding a bike, playing pickleball, etc. Having an assortment of activities that you can do adds variety and keeps it fun.

Trying new activities with friends or family can become a fun thing to do on the weekends or your days off. Just remember that if you didn’t enjoy doing an activity it’s okay to say so. This way you don’t dread doing an activity that is supposed to be fun for you.

Afterall, if you aren’t having fun while staying active you have to force yourself to do it and it will become more difficult to sustain long term. 

The key takeaway

Our society is becoming less active as technology makes our lives more convenient. Decreased daily activity can result in joint pain and stiffness, increased weight, and chronic disease. 

The human body was made to move, and it is important to do something active every single day. Going for a daily walk is a great place to start. Once you start becoming more active try new activities to find new things you may like to do.

Although it will be hard at times in the beginning to be active daily, once it becomes a lifestyle you won’t even think twice about it.

If you would like a plan for becoming more active contact me at dietitian2go@gmail.com.

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD