11 Tips to get you more active.

There are plenty of things we can all do during our normal daily lives that will help us get more active, shed some weight, get fitter and become more healthy. You don't have to visit a gym, you don't have to engage a Personal Trainer, and you don't have to join a fitness class, practice yoga, or starve yourself. There are things that you can do as you go about your work life, home life and social life that will all help the cause and supplement a more structured programme if you have one. On 'ezinearticles' I came across this list of handy tips and hints (http://EzineArticles.com/8742080) that may just give you some food for thought and create a little change to further boost your exercise regime. Written by Huy Pham (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Huy_Pham) - it's worth a quick read if it gives you some inspiration and motivation.



Life can get hectic at times so it may be difficult to get a full blown workout in every single day but there are plenty of little ways you can stay active in everyday life. Even if you are not breaking a sweat, there are still great benefits to getting some extra movement in.

1. Workout at work

• Working out at work can be a great way to help energize yourself throughout the work day. Even these micro-workouts can elevate the heart-rate a bit and serve as minor cardio. Besides the exercises we've detailed in that post there are many other ways you can get some exercise during your 8 hour day.
• Take the stairs as often as you can
• Instead of driving to lunch, take a walk with some coworkers and maybe even have some quality bonding time.
• If you find yourself constantly using your phone to page your coworkers, try walking to their physical offices instead. Unless the matter is extremely time sensitive, then you should probably stick with using the phone.
• Encourage social sporting outings after work and maybe even form a team. Or have sporting competitions between departments.
• If your commute is short enough, you can even ride a bike to work. On that note . . .

2. Ride your bike

• If you do not have a bicycle, it is well worth it to invest in one. Try to ride is everywhere whenever possible.

3. Let the remote collect dust

• Even during your relaxation time, you can find a way to get a little more movement by getting off the couch and manually changing the channels. This also prevents soreness and dangerous conditions which may arise from sitting still for an extended period of time.

4. Clean the house

• This piece of advice offers you two great benefits. First, you can easily work up a sweat cleaning up your house by intensely vacuuming or taking mopping to the extreme. The second benefit is that your house will be clean.

5. Find an active hobby

• It doesn't have to be a sport, but sports are a great and fun way to get into shape and stay active. Other active hobbies include carpentry, gardening, wood chopping, biking and many more.

6. Find someone who is active and tag along with them (or make someone active)

• Workout partners are the best. Being active is always more fun when you have someone to socialize with and you can hold each other accountable. You can also take your dogs for walks. Dogs are generally always up to be more active.

7. Stand up at work or just whenever possible

• As stated before, sitting down can negatively impact health, so if possible, standing at work can help you feel better and more energized throughout the day. There has also been an increase in popularity recently for the desk treadmills. While the technology isn't quite there yet, standing at work can still help you be a little more active.

8. Dance

• Whether it's at a club or just in your living room, dancing can be an awesome way to burn a few calories. If you have a significant other, take them out to swing dancing or salsa or any of the other festive dances out there. If you don't have a significant other, there is no shame in dancing alone. Everyone does it.

9. Go shopping

• Not online shopping, that doesn't count. Walking around the mall at a brisk pace can also be a way to move around in a fun environment. Malls are especially great during hot days since they're air conditioned. Just make sure to keep your credit card at home so you don't get too tempted by all the goodies.

10. Park far away

• When you're at the mall or anywhere else, try to park a good distance away in order to squeeze in a little more fitness time. Avoid parking a great distance away at night though. That may be harmful!

11. Exercise while doing other stuff
Multitasking is highly recommended if you're too ridiculously busy to work out all the time.

• Do wall-sits while brushing your teeth.
• Work while sitting on an exercise ball. Trying to stabilize yourself will work out your core muscles.
• Ride a stationary bike while reading.
• Ride a stationary bike while watching television.
• Ride a stationary bike while contemplating the true meaning of life.
• Do calf-lifts while standing in line.

The possibilities are endless. There are always ways to make everything a little more active. You just have to get creative!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-

Eat to lose weight . . . but, make it a habit!

I sourced this article for you from one published on ezinearticles by Michelle Gholson (http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michele_Gholson and http://EzineArticles.com/8800022) and thought it would help in cementing your diet gaol and turning these in to your eating habit that in the long term will bring the dividends you are looking for, when combined with your exercise programme. Remembering that eating and a healthy balanced diet are almost half the challenge, this needs to be as much a ficus as your exercise regime, so pay attention and get planning . . . and make a habit of your diet routine too.


I get asked pretty regularly about my eating and fitness routines, and while discipline and motivation may be the initial stimuli to healthy living it is actually making it a habit that should get all the credit for its long-term success.

Your first reaction to that opening statement if you are like most of us is "Well that is all fine and dandy but who has the time to make it a habit? I work, I have a family and the holidays are here!" Believe it or not you do not need hours a day to lose weight, get fit, change eating patterns, be happy or less stressed. 30 minutes a day is sufficient and short enough of a time frame to make it a priority, that is where the discipline and motivation come in.

Research from US space agency NASA shows habits take only 30 days to create. So if you take 30 minutes a day for those 30 days you can transform your health and well being long-term as they will have become a habit! Once a habit it's more likely you'll stick with it and you won't be easily lured to every diet or fitness fad that comes along.

What about those bad habits that are so hard to break?

Try replacing old routines with new ones. For example if you always eat lunch at your desk start taking a walk somewhere to eat your lunch. This new pattern of moving your body may motivate you to join a gym and sweat a little at lunch. Try waking up 10 minutes earlier so you can pack your lunch rather than always buying it. This new pattern may lead you to perusing cookbooks and browsing the Internet for recipe inspiration at dinner so you can pack the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Habits must be achievable, enjoyable and rewarding; and it starts with motivating your mind. If you don't take the time initially to create a mindset of where you want to be and what you want to achieve, it'll be hard to decide what your new habits should be. So take some time to think about your values, goals, what drives you and where you want to be in 30 days. Define your goals and write them down.

Habits are easier to create and make stick when you are well rested. So sleep. When you get enough zzz's you are more energised, less stressed and your immune system is stronger. Consistent sleep patterns stabilise hormones so you'll also find it easier to lose weight.

What can you do in 30 minutes a day for a month to create life long wellness habits? Here are some ideas to get you started and if you are a newbie they are in order of importance:

• Go through your pantry and refrigerator to get rid of less than healthy, stale, out of date foods. This does not mean you deprived yourself (a sure way to fail in creating a habit), rather for 30 days commit to make certain foods i.e. cookies, ice cream, processed foods, refined carbs a treat rather than a daily occurrence. When the craving hits, buy 1 serving and eat it at the source where you are purchasing.

• Once a week, plan what you want to eat and items needed to stock your pantry/refrigerator. Browse your favourite cookbooks, peruse the Internet and magazines, and of course subscribe to my site which is a streamlined aid in meal preparation and recipe inspiration.

• Once or twice a week, go shopping with a list for those healthy foods rather than rushing last minute into the grocery and picking up in a panic too many convenience foods because you are behind the eight ball or worse hungry which encourages impulsive buying.

• Prepare your food! Since you have completed ideas 1-3 this should be effortless and fun.

• Move your body! If this is new to you, start with a manageable activity that you find fun. Or just add more walking into your daily life- at lunch, around the block, park at the back of parking lots when running errands, walk to an errand. Once your body is used to movement, you will want to move on to more challenging or new activities. Aim for at least 3xs per week once you reach this stage.

• Chronicle your progress. There is nothing like taking the time to write down what you have done in achieving goals/changing or creating habits. Being able to visually see a list of your achievements is pretty impactful - record it all - big and small as it is all significant!

Now that you are ready to create new healthy habits for long-term wellness, I'll leave you with this inspirational quote from Jim Rohn, popular teacher on success and happiness, "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going".


Once again, some good simple easy to follow steps that if you make your plan, get committed, stick with it will become a habit in no time and you'll be well on your way. Remember though it's not just about the quality of the food you put in, but also the exercise you put out! The two go hand-in-hand!

WhyWeight - don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-