Top four simple ways to stay active

Stay active- physical therapy Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Mattawan, Plainwell & Portage, MI

Work commitments. Kids’ school events. After-school sports and activities. There are many reasons American adults have a tough time staying active. 

Medical researchers report that approximately 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise. But changing this doesn’t have to mean suddenly spending hours at the gym or jogging. Getting enough exercise can be as simple as using these top four simple ways to stay active: 

1.  Get in both steps and food at lunchtime

One simple way to stay active is to get more steps. An easy way to do so is to do some walking at lunchtime. Skip the cafeteria in favor of a healthy eatery down the street if you’re working. Or, walk outside for 20 minutes before you return to your brown-bag lunch. 

If you’re retired or working from home, walk to the corner grocer’s to gather the ingredients for lunch. Living out in the country or the suburbs? Pretend that your daily walk is the “fee” you have to pay in order to get into your kitchen and make that sandwich.

2.   Stand up at work

Another simple way to stay active is to get a standing desk for your workspace. It’s amazing how much healthier simply standing in place is, compared to sitting. For one thing, you burn more calories. 

You’ll also hunch less, meaning that neck pain and back pain can be reduced; in fact, one study reports that using a standing desk for about one hour a day reduced neck and back pain by 54%. Standing also boosts fitness in significant ways by keeping blood sugar steadier after a meal, and by encouraging more movement overall.

3.  Keep your exercise equipment nearby

Storing exercise equipment closer to places where you spend a lot of time is also a simple way to stay active. Stash a yoga mat or 5-pound weights under your bed. Hang resistance bands on a hook in the kitchen. Keep a stress ball next to your easy chair in the living room. That way, you’ll be far more likely to do a few reps while watching TV or waiting for the pasta to boil!

4.  Don’t hesitate to attend physical therapy

You might not have considered it, but physical therapy is a simple way to get and stay active. The most obvious way physical therapy helps is by addressing the aches and pains that keep you from pursuing your active lifestyle. 

In addition, many physical therapy sessions are a workout in themselves, helping you meet your weekly cardio and/or endurance goals. Your physical therapist is also a great resource for giving you tips on tweaking your daily habits. He or she can go over what a normal day looks like for you and offer advice on how to make it a more active one. If chronic pain is an issue, your physical therapist can show you specific moves that can decrease pain.

Find help with issues that are keeping you from being active at Armor Physical Therapy

Want more simple ways you can stay active? Our Armor Physical Therapy team is here to help you. We offer free screenings that can reveal issues that are keeping you from moving around. Our physical therapists can also build personalized therapy plans designed to address your specific issues and boost your activity levels. 

Having trouble getting into one of our therapy clinics? No problem! Our team offers at-home therapy and virtual care sessions, and these options are intended to help you get helpful therapy from home. You can even start using our therapy services without a doctor’s referral.

Contact us today for more information about the therapy services we offer or to schedule your initial appointment. 

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