How to get and stay active? And of course enjoy being active?
Let me start with a question. What is the link between music, housework and being active?
I know you do not like housework, you probably see it as a necessary evil right?
I invite you to change your perspective and see it as an opportunity, an opportunity to get active and have fun.
Not convinced? Just go with me at this stage and read on.
The benefits of being active
Let me start with the benefits of being active.
- Improves mood, when we are active we release endorphins and they make us feel good.
- Keeps us healthy, it combats poor health and disease. The expression use it or lose it, is true.
- Our energy levels increase, yes being active increases our energy levels so we have more energy to enjoy life.
- The quality of our sleep improves, tell me one person who does not want better quality sleep?
- It improves our sex life, ditto my previous statement, and intimacy and physical contact are important in our relationships.
- We are more mobile, flexible and stronger and so improve our ability to live a long quality life.
- And of course it is fun.
Who would not want those things?
Stop the excuses and find your mojo
There are many excuses we can create for not being active. They include: I am too busy, I am too tired, I am too stiff, I am too old, being active is not in my genes and I have tried to be active and failed because I simply did not enjoy it. I could go on but you get the gist.
What I would like for you is to find your mojo for being active and having some fun.
So back to the original question. The link between music, housework and being active?
Dance like no one’s watching
Most of us love music, do we not? Our tastes may vary but we all can pick songs we are happy to bop to or at least tap our toe to. And housework is one of those things we need to do. And we want the benefits that come from being active.
So why not combine all three? It is a no brainer. Here are my instructions:
- Slip into DJ mode and prepare your music machine. A.K.A. turn on your iPod, your CD player, music video channel or your record player. Note to those <25yrs, a record player is a piece of machinery that plays music from a piece of hard black plastic. 🙂
- Ladies and gents, prepare your engines, oops I mean equipment i.e. get the vacuum cleaner out of the cupboard, plug it in and find a room with dust. All pretty straight forward.
- Press play on your music machine of choice.
- Move, shake your booty, swing your hips, shake your head, tap your toe, click your fingers. Yes you got it, just generally jiggle about.
- And last but by no means least, take a page from my book and sing as loud as you can. And take another note out of my book and ignore any side comments from children who do not think you can sing. My response is to smile and sing louder.
For any of you who have one of those funny disc like automated vaccum cleaners that run around running into things, the same instructions can be applied to cooking dinner, hanging out the washing, cleaning out the shed, mowing the lawns or going for a walk.
Do I do it myself? Yes, when I go for walks my husband will confirm I jump around sing out loud and generally do my own thing. What do response do I get? Sure the occasional strange look but more often lots of smiles and some even ask “what am I listening to?”
Why? Because having fun and being energetic is infectious. When you get up tomorrow morning, walk tall, be energetic and give a big smile to the first 10 people you meet when you leave the house. I am pretty confident you will get a positive and friendly response and feel an even greater desire to walk tall, be energetic and smile.
Every day activities can fuel quality health
It is the same when you have fun with everyday activities in life. I encourage you to see every day activities as opportunities to increase your energy, improve your mood, combat disease and poor health and gain all of the other benefits that come from being active.
Help fuel the revolution of long term quality health.
And if you are short on ideas or rather opportunities for doing so, here are 20 to get you started.
- Walk the dog.
- Take the stairs.
- Rake your leaves. Put the blower thing back in the shed.
- Get off 2-3 bus or train stops early and walk.
- When you go shopping, park 10-15 minutes away from the shops.
- Walk to the post office to collect your mail.
- Walk to the supermarket to buy your shopping and get the shopping delivered.
- Ride the bike with the kids.
- Join an 80s aerobics class so you can wear that headband you have in the back of the cupboard.
- Play social tennis.
- Learn golf and walk around the course.
- Switch your electric mower for a push mower.
- Join a fitness class.
- Start a local walking group.
- Go for a swim at your local pool.
- Take the kids to the park and kick the footy or soccer ball or play cricket.
- Try that yoga class you have been thinking about.
- Walk to the shop for the milk, bread or eggs.
- Take a break from your desk at work and go for a 10 minute walk around the block.
- Wash your car.
Take care and enjoy being active. 🙂