Is Going To The Gym The Only Way To Exercise?

When you hear “I am going to go do a workout,” what comes to mind? 50% of the population usually thinks of a gym. Big metal weights, loud music, people grunting, and people flexing in the mirror. And the other 50% think of running. But running and going to the gym are not the only way to exercise. When you get up do the laundry, it’s exercise, when you are cleaning the dishes, it’s exercise, and when you take the trash out, it’s exercise. It has been lost to main stream culture that movement is exercise.

Why it Matters

When it comes to exercise people tend to get deterred from it because these thoughts come to mind. But the simplest way to get involved with exercise is to get moving. When we move, we are expending energy, doesn’t have to be in the gym or on a run. We shouldn’t feel deterred from just getting up and moving, sitting is worse for us than we think. Laskowski (2022) found in a recent study that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking.

Next steps

When you find yourself sitting or not moving for too long, get up and walk around. Most of the work place has turned into remote/computer work. People don’t get up and move unless they have to pee or eat. And 9 times out of 10 you are sitting when you’re eating. Try and set timer at your desk, every 45 minutes it goes off, you get up and move. And the best thing to do during that time of moving are Bruggers, Triplanar, & Chair Squat. These exercises will help stimulate the muscles that can cause the biggest issues if not activated. Click the links and watch the video to find out the benefits of these great exercises!

Laskowski, Edward  R. “Sitting Risks: How Harmful Is Too Much Sitting?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 July 2022.