Incidental Activity
Today, our ever-increasingly sedentary lifestyle is causing a ‘down-sizing’ in daily activity and a corresponding ‘up-sizing’ in our body sizes.
The idea here is to try to replace a few convenient activities each day with something that will cause us to move more.
There are two primary forms of physical activity, and both can help you control your weight.
They are:
• Incidental activity
• Planned exercise
Incidental activity refers to any small form of movement that accumulates throughout the day, resulting in an increased level of daily activity. This form of activity doesn’t happen at the gym, but instead relies on your daily choices.
Examples are:
Walking the stairs instead of using the elevator
Parking further away from the shops
Carrying baskets and bags instead of using a trolley
Walking or cycling to work 1-2 days a week instead of driving
Take the kids outside to play instead of playing a board game
Don’t just watch the kids play, get involved
Get off the bus 2 stops earlier than normal
If watching tv, use the ad breaks to move – do squats, push ups, walk up and down the hall etc.
All this is going to help move more, burn more energy and create a habit within yourself to move at any opportunity.