You were Made to Move - so Move your Butt!

"Remote control living" and weight gain
These days, most of us live in a kind of "remote control" world. Many tasks that used to involve physical activity are now done almost without lifting a finger. You can cover miles of ground by sitting in a car and pressing a pedal, control stereos, televisions and garage doors at the press of a button, get food delivered to the house, and even have a robotic vacuum clean your floor!

In many ways, this convenient lifestyle is great. However, it does have a downside. Because your body was made to move, the impact of not moving it can be very negative on your health and on your weight.

Movement burns calories, so if you always take the convenient option (e.g. the elevator instead of the stairs) you end up spending most of the day sitting or standing still - in the car, at a desk, on the couch, at the table - and calories that would normally be burned through activity are not. Instead, they become unwanted extra pounds.

Think about how your level of day-to-day activity is affecting your weight:

Are you able to walk many places, or do you usually drive?
Do you spend most of the day sitting down?
Do you usually relax in the evenings by watching television?
How often do you walk for more than a couple of minutes during a normal day?
How many day-to-day tasks do you do that involve some physical activity? (For example, washing the car, mowing the lawns, hanging washing on the line, housework, home repairs, taking out the trash)

Live more actively, burn more calories
Just as being inactive causes calorie overload and weight gain, being more active helps you burn calories and lose weight.

Being active doesn't mean jogging every day, or joining a sports team. Small, everyday choices can make a big difference to your level of activity. For example, think about what happens when you drive to the grocery store. Do you circle the lot looking for the most convenient parking space? How about parking as far away as possible from the entrance? That way, you’ll walk farther and burn more calories. That’s "convenient" for your health!

Other examples of small, active choices that can help you burn calories and get your body moving include:
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Walking the kids to school instead of dropping them off in the car
Taking a walk on your lunch break
Going down the hallway to talk to a colleague instead of emailing
What can you do during your day to move more?

Get moving!
An inactive lifestyle is commonplace these days, and it's a big part of the reason why obesity and other illnesses like heart disease and diabetes are on the rise. You don't have to be part of the statistics though! Getting even a little bit active can help you to lose weight and lower your risk of many health problems. All it takes is a few minutes a day and a change of mind that leads you to opt for the healthiest, not the easiest option.

Start going for a short walk each day. If you follow that recommendation and also make as many active choices as you can each day, you'll find it makes a difference not only in your weight, but also in how you feel.