Note: This is a guest post from Jonathan Dunsky of World of Diets
The modern lifestyle is far from an active one. Many of us spend hours sitting down, practically motionless, either working, watching TV, or surfing the web. This inactive lifestyle may have some undesirable outcomes such as weight gain, increased tiredness, and various health issues. In my experience, active people are not only healthier but also happier. This is why I’ve compiled this list of 25 ways for you to be more active:
- Go dancing – Your spouse will likely adore you for it.
- Mow the lawn and do some gardening – You’ll connect with nature and save some money on gardening costs.
- Get rid of 10% of your stuff – You’ll find that you have things that you thought you had already thrown out.
- Get a dog – Taking it for a walk 3 – 4 times a day is a great way to be active.
- Play sports with your kids – If you don’t have kids you can play with your nephews or nieces or the dog you got from step #4.
- Go to a museum once a week, at least – Walking through the exhibition is a great activity which will enrich your soul.
- Paint your house – You know you’ve been making excuses why now is not a good time to do it.
- Start a softball team with your friends – It can also be basketball, or soccer, or any other sport that you enjoy.
- Volunteer – Whether it’s distributing food to the needy, helping elderly people, or participating in a fundraiser for a worthy cause in your community, you will do some good for the world and yourself.
- Rearrange your living room – Move all the furniture about and see how it looks. Maybe it’s time for a change, but you just don’t know it yet.
- Go for a walk each evening – Even if it’s just for 20 minutes after work.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator – Climbing stairs is actually a great workout.
- Never order takeout during your lunch break – Walking to a restaurant is a great way to stretch your legs after sitting for hours at your desk.
- Clean your room – No, I’m not your mother. All I’m saying is that cleaning is a way to be active.
- Do some ironing – It’s an important skill and you may even save some money by doing it yourself.
- Join an amateur drama club – Rehearsing for a play is a great way to build confidence and it’s certainly better than spending more time in a chair.
- Start a little league team – Coaching kids can be a very rewarding experience and you’ll get to do some sports in the process.
- Go out to nature – Climb a mountain, go rowing in a nearby river or take a camping trip.
- Give your spouse a massage – This is one of the best ways to work with your hands.
- Bake bread – But don’t use a bread machine. Work the dough yourself. I’ve been baking bread for years. The bread you make yourself will taste better than any other you’ve eaten.
- Help a friend move – Not only will you be doing a favor that your friend will never forget, but you’ll also work all of your muscles by lifting things and laying them down again.
- Ride your bike to work – If it’s too far then ride to the supermarket or a friend’s house or just twice around the park.
- Go to the pool – Even if you’re more of a lounger than a swimmer, you’re bound to spend some time in the water.
- Stretch each day – Stretching helps to prevent muscle cramps, may alleviate back pain, and reduce stress.
- Pick a hobby that gets you to work with your hands – Woodworking, painting, bee keeping, etc.
Bonus tip: Read at least one more post on this blog – It’s good for your mind. Then, start being more active.
Jonathan Dunsky writes on healthy nutrition and fitness for men and women on World of Diets. He helps people create short workouts that fit our busy modern lifestyle.
When I don’t have enough time during my day, I try do simple things like push-ups, squats, sit ups. It takes 2-3 minutes and it gets me moving just enough to feel good and fresh.
Hi Max,
Mini-workouts are awesome. I do them too.
Great post!
As you suggested, walking around a museum is great for both your body and mind. I just now decided that I’m going to do that today, all because of this article.
Nice one. 🙂
Hi Fred,
Have a great time at the museum.
Pick me up. I haven’t been out in years.
I thought I was doing good with walking my dog only a few times per week, looks like I need to get him out more before it starts snowing haha.
Great post! I’ll start adding these things up to be more active in life. More power to you Donald!
1, 2, 11, 12, and 18 are the only reasonable tips. The rest are laughable to the point of being absurd:
“Pick a hobby — bee keeping;” “Go to the pool, you’re bound to spend time in the water.” “Help a friend move – you’ll work your muscles by lifting things and laying them down again” – “Bake bread, work the dough yourself.” “Start a little league team”
— Seriously?
Hi Peter,
I’m sorry you didn’t like the post.
It would be impossible for the author to be able to choose 25 activities that would be suitable for everyone. Obviously this is a list of suggestions and it’s up to you to either choose the ones that appeal to you or to get ideas from the list that you can develop upon. It’s clear from the replies above that this article has given someone the idea to go to the museum so it seems this article is beneficial to some people.
I’m disabled from brain cancer. Lost left side like a stroke victims. How do I exercise when it takes all my strength to wheel around with one working arm and leg. Just caring for my own daily needs of cooking and cleaning plus laundry. This is CFAR, not everyone can walk or drive. Consider us.
Hey Jonathan,
Luckily for me I have a physical job that keeps me moving all day long, and even when I am not working my job I do work around my house.
I don’t care much for sitting still, never have really.
Great list btw.
Hi Justin,
You’re indeed the lucky one.
Hi Jonathon,
I like how you listed a variety of different activities that are healthy for us to engage in on a regular base..Keeping active in diverse activities is really important if you have want to feel great in the long run…
Stretching is a “must do”..Many people are caught up in their office chairs sitting down all day and they don’t move around. Soon they realize their backs getting very stiff over time…
Thanks for sharing..
Cheers,
Nabil
Hi Nabil,
Thanks for the compliments. Stretching is indeed something you need to do every day.
Hi Donald!
First of all, cool blog! I recently started getting more active and I’m trying to find a combination of an active lifestyle with decluttering and simplifying my life.
A few of the items on this list are really logical but it doesn’t hurt to point them out, I know I realized a few will really help me.
Thanks!
Hey Jonathan,
#1: Go dancing – Your spouse will love you for it, if she’s a woman 😉 There is always more women in dance classes and evenings than men.
#24: I find doing a bit of yoga, and running up and down the stairs in my building – first thing in the morning – works well for me. Or simply going for a walk.
Matt
Yes , I agree with Donald that these are some of the ways to be active. I think those of us who are mentally working throughout the day, need to be physically active, just for themselves, if it is not in helping others, like helping yr friend in moving. May be Peter has’nt tried it yet. The exertion caused by moving bulky awkward things around is really good: it leaves you panting if you have moved around 5-6 of those big articles. Any exertion that leaves you panting, so that you are not able to do any further, but would be grateful for a cup of tea and seeing Life move along, so serenly, pleasantly, is worth it. Keep up the good work, Donald. Regards to all.
Well I have to say great site. Some very good tips, I recently got a new dog and the exercise you get from going out with a dog is great. I try to go for walks every day. I especially liked the one about giving your partner a massage !!!!
The number one activity though has got to be swimming. Great stuff.
Hey John Im 18 ,from Bangladesh.I do regular excercise,strecting and walks.I even play Basketball,Cricket,Football and other sports.I sleep 5 hrs a day as Bangladeshis dont sleep much and I cant sleep more than 6 hrs a day even if I try.I consulted a doctor and he said everything is fine with me.So am I light sleeper because I got it from my parents???After reading these dont think Im active.I think Im the most lazy person in the world.My body just dont seem to move a inch during my leisure time.So please help me to be more active.These tips wont help me much so please tell some other stuffs that I can do to make myself more actuve.PLS HELP!!!!!!PLS HELP!!!!!!PLS HELP!!!!!