There are days when getting to the gym is hard. You might not feel like you have time, you might still be recovering from the previous day’s workout, or you might simply not want to that day. And that’s okay! Leading an active lifestyle can seem very daunting. You see people on social media posting their highlight reels and looking super fit as if they live at the gym. That kind of lifestyle is simply not practical for most individuals.

Life often gets in the way of structured workouts and a set-in-stone schedule. Real people have jobs, families, friends, and life to balance everyday. With all that on someone’s plate, it is easy to see how exercise could be put on the back burner. However, getting some sort of movement on a regular basis can be just as beneficial as the more structured movement, such as coming to classes.

Basically, we just want you moving. The human body was made to move! Sitting for prolonged periods of time can be detrimental to your physical and mental health. Non-structured movement, even if it’s not strenuous, can have a positive impact on your health and well-being. 

Joints can stiffen and feel achy with a lack of movement but can quickly loosen up with some movement. One of my professors, who was also a physical therapist, used to tell us that “motion is lotion.”

Daily movement can be taking the dog for an evening walk, taking the stairs at work, or even parking a little bit farther from the door while running errands. These will start to create and reinforce that habit of movement throughout the day. After all, sitting for too long can cause you to feel fatigued, stiff, unmotivated, and mentally drained. Those are not things we want to be feeling on a regular basis when we have things to do and people to see! 

Non-structured movements can help to release those “happy” chemicals in our brain which can help improve our mental health. Movement can often be outside with the sun on our face and the fresh air in our lungs. It allows our minds to relax and reset. 

This could also be a great opportunity to get the whole family moving. Putting the phones down and simply going for a walk can be great for the whole family. It will be the small things that will make a big impact on your health and well-being.

What things in your life can you make a small tweak to in order to get some movement in for the day?