Be Active!

Being more active in your daily life gives you the energy you need to enjoy your life, not just the weekends! The key to staying active is to do things that you enjoy and that you can succeed at.

Enjoy life!

Here are some great strategies for getting both you and your family up and moving:

Turn off the TV and push away from the computer! How much time are you and your family spending in front of the TV? Try this instead: Schedule two to three nights each week for you and your family to do something fun together. It can be as simple as biking around your neighborhood or taking a walk in the evening after dinner or playing an impromptu game of Frisbee golf in your street!

Plan an activity!
Take turns within your family in picking an activity that everyone does together.

Walk the dog, cat, parrot … etc.
This benefits everyone! Your pet gets some fresh air and you get a chance to move your muscles and enjoy time outside. It’s a win-win!

Go PLAY!
Are there children in your world? How long has it been since you’ve played ‘Red Light Green Light’, ‘Ghosts in the Graveyard’, or chased fireflies?? THAT’S TOO LONG! Get out and experience your inner 10 year old!

Be active at work:

So many of us are planted in front of our computer hour after hour, day after day… Our brains are getting a workout, but our bodies sit still for far too long and that’s not good!
Try these strategies to get your muscles moving at work:

The Classic: Take the stairs!
Do you work on the 34th floor? Get off the elevator at 29 and take the stairs the rest of the way up. It’s just far enough to get your heart rate up and warm up your muscles. Once you’re comfy with it, try stretching it to a few more floors.

Don’t eat at your desk
It’s soooo tempting to just work through lunch! If you have a full hour for lunch, eat for a portion of the time, then get up and take a walk. Stroll around the building, to the nearest coffee shop, to a friend’s cubicle on the next floor. It doesn’t matter – just get up and go!

Ditch the intercom
Got something to say to a co-worker? Forgo the intercom button and take a walk.

Compete with coworkers
How many of your coworkers are in the same fix as you? Too little exercise, a little too much around the middle? Start a contest! Challenge your coworkers to get moving as well and do it together so everyone wins.

Form an office-based team for a cause
There are a number of organizations that rely on the money made via charity walks and runs. This is a strategy that pays off big for everyone involved: you and your co-workers get a chance to bond and vital research funding is generated to defeat life-threatening diseases.

You’re not alone!

Many Minute Rice fans are facing the same challenges you are: hectic schedule, working, running errands, taking care of your family including cooking healthy meals. Explore the Live Better section! We’ve included a number of great tips and tools to help you make better decisions, including the ultimate pantry checklist and a bevy of tips from our readers on how they’ve incorporated exercise into their regular lives.