How do I Maintain an Active Lifestyle?

There are numerous ways to maintain an active lifestyle, and methods don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. It’s true that some people find they most enjoy having a gym membership where they work out every day, but not all people particularly like working out in gyms or have the wherewithal to get to one. The good news is this is hardly necessary, and people can get more activity by making regular plans to exercise, by modifying their habits slightly to make more exercise necessary, and by engaging in fun leisure time or volunteer activities that includes physical activity.

It is important to get regular exercise to maintain an active lifestyle, and the simplest, cheapest form of this is freely available to most people. Walking as little as 90-150 minutes per week can have a fantastic effect on keeping the body healthy. This works out to approximately three to five 30-minute walks per week, and it turns out that it isn’t necessary to walk for thirty minutes at one stretch. If a person walks two 15-minute walks a day, he derives the same benefit as walking for thirty minutes, so people could schedule quick walks during lunch or other work breaks, and still have a few minutes left over. For those who don’t enjoy walking, other activities could be considered, like swimming, dancing, bicycle riding or roller-skating.

Another way to maintain an active lifestyle is to slightly change habits so that more exercise is necessary. This could mean using public transportation, walking, or biking to work, or simply parking cars far away from work or shopping. Keeping a house clean is a good way to burn calories; regularly vacuuming, getting the dishes done, and dusting all require physical activity, keeping people from assuming the dreaded couch potato pose when they get home.

Leisure time activities can be planned so they incorporate some exercise. Planning a picnic might mean also planning a hike at a local park before sitting down to enjoy a meal. People many maintain an active lifestyle with other leisure choices like choosing to dance the night away at a favorite night club, spending a day on foot while shopping, taking the dog to the local dog park, chasing kids around at a park, or swimming in a nearby lake or pool. The most important thing to recognize is that “leisure” doesn’t mean sedentary, and any activity that involves moving, walking or running around, hiking, and et cetera means the body gets to burn more calories.

For those who want to maintain an active lifestyle while performing community service, there are still plenty of ways to keep moving. Things like building houses, babysitting children, or serving at a soup kitchen can be excellent ways of serving a community while serving the self. Not only will the community be grateful, but the body will be too.