Get Moving in June!

 

More sunny days certainly brighten my mood, and the warm sun is feeling good. The trees and plants have suddenly sprouted, flowers are starting to bloom, and the grass is growing at a fast pace. Spring and summer is the time that I wait for all year. Ahh...it’s finally here. Though I’m always a work in-progress on being more physically active no matter what time of year, I tend to become more motivated in the spring and summer since it’s easier to get outside. If you haven’t already started, it’s time to get moving in June!

The health benefits of being physically active are well-documented. The CDC recommends that children and adolescents get 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day. Adults are recommended to get 150 minutes a week.  

How can physical activity help us?

• Strengthens our muscles and bones
• Improves our mental health and mood
• Helps control weight
• Reduces our risk for certain diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease
• Boosts our immune system
• Improves our ability to do the activities of daily living

How can we increase our daily physical activity in small ways?

• Take the stairs as often as possible, then take the stairs a few extra times for more activity
• Park as far away as you can at the store or at work for those additional steps
• Stretch your body because it is good for you and will make you feel energized
• Do desk exercises whether working from home or at the office
• Think of household tasks like cleaning or mowing the grass as exercise (because it is)
• Plan more family activities outside with your children

Try not to look at physical activity as a chore. Look at it as a time to rejuvenate your body and mind. Being active has direct stress-busting benefits. Whether you’re into walking, hiking in a park, swimming at the lake, taking a fitness class or even joining a sports team, any form of exercise can be a stress reliever. Make physical activity a part of your stress self-management plan on as much of a daily basis as you can.

One of our most admired First Ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt, is quoted as saying, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the upmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”  What an inspirational sentence. Reflect on that sentence as you plan the next few months activities of spring and summer for you and your family. Rejuvenate your body and mind. Look for new experiences to enjoy. Live your life to the fullest. Get moving in June!