my Four Pillars of healthy weight loss
• Food • Activity • Mindset • Sleep
• Activity


Ways to fit in fitness
It's easy to start moving –follow our ways to get up and go!


By WWI
A few steps here, a squat there. They add up. And possibly to even greater health benefits than you’d get from a full-fledged workout. People who move continually doing things like walking, fidgeting, standing, laughing, cleaning, or climbing stairs at work 
could burn up to 2,000 calories per day, no moderate or vigorous exercise required, according to a 2015 review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Great news, right? Check out these creative ways to fit fitness into your day, wherever you are (and whatever you’re wearing). It’s all about the movement!

1. Get a dog. People who own dogs are more likely to hit the daily recommended amount of physical activity than people without pooches, reports a review in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.
2. Wear technology. When women wore FitBits, they took 782 extra steps per day, according to a small 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine study. Each morning, set a reminder to strap on your wearable.
3. Do a supermarket victory lap. Once you’ve finished your grocery shopping, take one last walk around the perimeter of the store. Bonus: That’s where you’ll find the fruits and veggies, so impulse buys are OK!
4. Wash the car. A 155-pound person could burn 167 calories, sudsing the Subaru, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
5. Stop sitting still. A 2015 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that if you constantly fidget while you sit—bounce your legs, keep your arms moving—you may help counteract negative health effects of being sedentary like poor posture and high BMI.
6. Wear sneakers. More often If your feet are comfy, you won’t mind making more trips on foot.
7. Sit down when you’re brushing your teeth. But don’t take a seat. Try performing a wall sit (stay in sitting position with your back against the wall). Hold the pose as long as you can, working up to the full two minutes.
8. Stroll after meals. Let the dishes soak! Walking for just 15 minutes after you eat may help control your blood sugar, according to limited research from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.
9. Get off the bus one stop early. You’ll lose a few minutes and gain a lot of extra steps.
10. Start gardening. According to a 2014 HortTechnology study, weeding burns the same number of calories as working out on the elliptical, mulching melts off more than yoga, and digging torches as many as weightlifting or rowing.
11. Go camping. Get outside with a weekend camping trip. Hiking to a campsite, pitching a tent, and kindling a fire will all burn calories.
12. Reverse crunch your way out of bed. Before you get up, perform 10 reverse crunches on your cushy mattress (it’ll work your abs even more). Lying on your back, raise your knees and feet until your shins are parallel to the bed. Squeeze your abs and slowly lift your hips off of the bed and your feet toward the ceiling. Pause; lower yourself to the blankets.
13. Stand on one foot. Whenever you can—whether you’re in line or washing dishes—lift one foot. You’ll improve your balance and coordination, and strengthen the muscles in your feet, ankles, and legs (give each foot equal time). Tip: In public? Lift your foot only about an inch off the ground and no one will notice.
14. Sit down twice. Every time you sit, pause when you’re about an inch above the seat and then spring back up.
15. Ride the bus standing. Give up your seat and hold the handrails. You’ll burn more calories than if you made the journey sitting on your bum!
16. Download an audiobook. Instead of curling up with a good read, walk around while you listen to it.
17. Skip! Did you have (or just really want) a Skip. It when you were a kid? Then you may want to try SkipFit, a grown-up, calorie-torching spin on the classic. Slip it on your ankle and start skipping. SkipFit, $20, empowerfitness.com.
18. Make more laundry trips. Fold and put away your clean clothes and linens one item at a time. You’ll get in steps going back and forth.
19. Walk and talk. Use phone conversations as opportunities to walk around and move while you chat. You can even get a headset to make it easier. 
20. Lunge the hall. Every time you have to walk down a hallway at home, make the journey one walking lunge at a time. You’ll get bonus points if you’re carrying something while you do it.
21. Take the scenic route. When Google Maps gives you different options for walking somewhere, don’t pick the first route (it’s usually the shortest!). And even when you need to get somewhere at the office, forgo the shortcut through marketing and go see what’s up in the mailroom to burn a few more calories.
22. Choose pickup over delivery. If you’re going to eat takeout, always opt to go out and get it yourself. Walking to and from the restaurant—or even just your car—burns more calories than waiting for the food to arrive at your door.
23. Play at the playground. The next time you take your kids for some outdoor fun, take advantage of the equipment yourself. Try to master the monkey bars, perform TRX-style push-ups using a swing, or hop back and forth over a bench.
24. Raise while you rinse. When you’re standing at the sink washing dishes, do calf raises. While keeping your abs tight, lift your heels until you’re standing on your toes. Hold for two seconds, then slowly lower your heels. Tip: Keep the movement nice and slow to really feel the burn.
25. Bend better. Instead of just hinging at the waist when you pick something up off the floor, do a full squat. You’ll work your entire legs to build more muscle and burn more calories.
26. Lug some laundry. Instead of filling a basket with several loads and making one trip, haul laundry upstairs one load at a time.
27. Hop out of the car. On a road trip? The next time you stop for gas or a driving break, get outside and do some jumping jacks or squats. You’ll be able to snag a much-needed break from sitting and get your blood flowing.
28. Don’t just sit there. If you’re waiting for your flight to board, take laps through the terminal­—it’ll be very interesting people-watching!
29. Join the team. Looking to meet new people? Try a recreational adult sports league and play sports like volleyball, dodge ball, basketball, or flag football—to name a few.
30. Search for yard sales. Looking for a steal? Line up some yard sales around your town and walk the route on Saturday morning.
This week’s technique is:
Why You Should Take Charge of Your Schedule
Try this!
Struggling to fit healthy habits into your day? Map out your schedule to prioritize making time for what’s important on your journey.
Let’s dive a little deeper...

Not enough hours in the day? A serious shortage of time can definitely get in the way of creating—and keeping—healthy habits.

But studies show that when you’re good at managing your time, you’re more likely to have better results with weight loss.

That’s why mapping out your schedule (paper or online works) lets you actually see where you can fit in good-for-you activities—even if you only have a few minutes to spare. If finding time really seems impossible some days, consider combining activities (maybe you can walk laps around the soccer field during your kid’s soccer practice, or make time to call a friend while you’re cooking dinner).
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