Not quite exercise - what 'active lifestyle' activities do you enjoy throughout the day?

24

Replies

  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Yardwork and gardening is my main activity outside of purposeful exercise or walking. I have animals so there's always some chore or clean up to do, and we are on a fair size chunk of land with a small landscaped portion so literally always something to be done. This morning I've switched my planned gym time to this evening and am about to head outside and do some cleanup before it is supposed to rain this afternoon. After that I'll do some pruning and weeding. Got two enormous lemongrass plants that need attacking.
  • allieeveryday
    allieeveryday Posts: 85 Member
    I also walk and talk when I get phone calls on my cell, even if it's just pacing circles around the house.

    When the weather isn't cruddy, I walk on my work breaks to get outside for a few minutes.
  • ecmorgan101
    ecmorgan101 Posts: 24 Member
    I teach, so I'm basically on my feet walking around the room a big part of the school day - probably 6+ hours.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    Walk the long way. For instance, I will go outside and around the long wing of the building, then back in and down the hall to the bathroom rather then just going through a small office area and around the corner. If I don't want to go outside, I will go up to the third floor, down the hall, downstairs, and then down the hall to the bathroom. My last job was in a four story rectangular building and I used to walk laps around my floor or down across and back up at least a couple times a day. This is a good way to get a couple thousand extra steps and an extra couple minutes away from the computer screen.
  • kali31337
    kali31337 Posts: 1,048 Member
    Walking home from work instead of taking the metro (about a mile away)
    Walking back and forth in the metro while waiting on my train (and probably making the other people nervous)
    Spending a lot of time with my dog and getting her out for walk as much as she can
    Not sure how effective but a couple times a day, I'll walk the 5-8 flights down the steps and then take the elevator back up (will be incorporating the stairs back up slowly) just to get more steps into my day
    Keeping my house clean has led to less time on the couch and a better mental state
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,681 Member
    jesspen91 wrote: »
    My rule is if I can walk there in less than 45 minutes I walk it

    Yep ... me too!

    I travel from work to Uni one day each week. By bus, it takes 30-ish minutes and walking, it takes about 45 minutes. The bus isn't necessarily reliable ... so far, my feet have always been reliable. Plus it's a great chance to get some exercise!

    So I walk.
  • rfajitas12345
    rfajitas12345 Posts: 27 Member
    A little meth here or there
  • shercamp1
    shercamp1 Posts: 2 Member
    I don’t know if this counts but I work in a supermarket and stacking shelves etc is great exercise for me! I actually enjoy going to work knowing that my trips to the stock room or running to find items are putting me in a deficit, as well as earning me brownie points with the bosses 😁
  • llUsernamell
    llUsernamell Posts: 12 Member
    I may be too old for this, but Dance Dance Revolution, para para dancing, and an intense game of air hockey.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    I may be too old for this, but Dance Dance Revolution, para para dancing, and an intense game of air hockey.

    No such thing as "too old" time play! I still use an old Wii game called "Walk It Out" (Step To The Beat in UK) almost every day. It's compatible with the DDR mat.😎
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,255 Member
    Dance with my husband. East Coast and West Coast swing, ballroom, country-western two-step.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Bump - such a valuable collection of ideas!
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    Bump - such a valuable collection of ideas!

    Was just thinking the same thing 🙂
  • jnomadica
    jnomadica Posts: 280 Member
    Active play with my son (9)! Bike rides, jumping on our trampoline, hiking, and “races” where I walk and he rides his scooter (so far, he’s won every race!). Not only are these fun activities, but they keep him and me active, and allow us to spend time together. I will cherish these memories, and I hope he will, too:)
    I’m also a huge fan of having dogs in your family! They need to be walked, and you can’t help but smile when you say “walk” and they freak out with excitement- impossible to resist.
  • ChrisCatMama
    ChrisCatMama Posts: 1,038 Member
    Walking with my 18 year old daughter who has severe adhd. It’s almost a light jog because she is hard to keep up with (and I have adhd as well!) 🤣🤣🤣
  • DarkTwain
    DarkTwain Posts: 130 Member
    Dancing at parties, taking a walk during a phone call, wandering around an IKEA
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,226 Member
    Always taking the stairs rather than the elevator. Playing with little grandsons.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    We have started playing tennis again after 15 years.
    We are rubbish, it's a lot of fun running around in the sunshine, especially because we are still hitting the balls everywhere!
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    edited June 2019
    Taking a liking to cleaning and exploring/walking around neighborhood areas during down time waiting on loads of laundry...good way to meditate/reflect

    Back in the day @ my old college, recreations were pretty popular (nerd college...tons of gamers)...things like squash, badmitton, table tennis, bowling, etc. were fun ways of getting some activity (not very physically demanding but better than sitting in front of a laptop/tv all day)
  • xGreatWhiteNorthx
    xGreatWhiteNorthx Posts: 335 Member
    Cut split and stack my own firewood for the winter. 8+ cords of it.

    Hiking with the dogs.

    Mowing the grass (uneven ground and a full acre cleared so it's not easy)

    Shoveling the laneway(takes two of us 2 hours usually with the big snow scoops)

    Yardwork and vegetable/flower gardening

    Cleaning the house

    Chasing after two dogs and a 5 year old.

    Work as a CNA in long term care.

    Park at the back of the building at work and walk up a winding hill to the front to go in.
  • appledawn0422
    appledawn0422 Posts: 31 Member
    zibaldize wrote: »
    I am mostly a lump. I know that purposeful exercise offers more benefits than 'physical activity', but as I begin an exercise regimen, I'd also like to incorporate some less structured activity into my life and further cut back on the amount of time I spend on a couch, in front of a screen.

    What sort of things do y'all enjoy? When/where do you fit them into your daily schedules?

    I have just started this journey but my intention is to hit the gym with purposeful e exercise 3xs per week and go kayaking etc a couple times per week. It seems "do-able" and I don't want to burn out!
  • drmwc
    drmwc Posts: 1,050 Member
    If I'm at home, I'll do Grease The Groove pull-ups and chin-ups throughout the day. These are a number of reps you can do easily (e.g. 1/2 your max number of reps), done maybe 5 times a day.

    If I'm at work, I like to get a 4 mile walk over lunch. I then walk, or very occasionally run, up stairs at the end of it ( I work on the 7th floor). I aim to use the stairs at least twice a day.
  • Americanbabydoll
    Americanbabydoll Posts: 1,255 Member
    Bump because there's some great tips/ideas here.
  • Roza42
    Roza42 Posts: 246 Member
    At work I do the stairs. I average 36 flights a day.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    Bump. Important ideas especially as cooler weather moves in with potential shifts is "what you're willing to do"
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    zibaldize wrote: »
    I am mostly a lump. I know that purposeful exercise offers more benefits than 'physical activity', but as I begin an exercise regimen, I'd also like to incorporate some less structured activity into my life and further cut back on the amount of time I spend on a couch, in front of a screen.

    What sort of things do y'all enjoy? When/where do you fit them into your daily schedules?

    Not sure what you mean by exercise vs physical activity. Physical activity is exercise. I mostly ride my road bike, hit the mountain trails on my mountain bike on weekends, hike, do some rock climbing, and walk my dog. There is very little "structure" in my exercise unless I'm specifically training for something...there doesn't have to be. I'm just a physically active person. The only thing I do that I consider to be a "workout" is lifting weights a few times per week...everything else is just getting out and being active.
  • BMcC9
    BMcC9 Posts: 4,451 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    zibaldize wrote: »
    I am mostly a lump. I know that purposeful exercise offers more benefits than 'physical activity', but as I begin an exercise regimen, I'd also like to incorporate some less structured activity into my life and further cut back on the amount of time I spend on a couch, in front of a screen.

    What sort of things do y'all enjoy? When/where do you fit them into your daily schedules?

    Not sure what you mean by exercise vs physical activity. Physical activity is exercise. I mostly ride my road bike, hit the mountain trails on my mountain bike on weekends, hike, do some rock climbing, and walk my dog. There is very little "structure" in my exercise unless I'm specifically training for something...there doesn't have to be. I'm just a physically active person. The only thing I do that I consider to be a "workout" is lifting weights a few times per week...everything else is just getting out and being active.

    @cwolfman13 , the fact that you have a natural "getting out and being active" lifestyle and focus is wonderful!

    Some people are just plain more inclined to "couch-potato-hood" than you are, and this thread is trying to point out and encourage them to burn calories in "sneak attack" ways that might be harder to pin down in the MFP Exercise tracker.

    In the context of this thread "physical activity" basically means "not sitting on the couch" (could be taking the stairs, pacing while on the phone etc etc) especially if one is just starting out or has physical or injury-related limitations.

    "Exercise" means what most people think as "formal or intentional exercise" / something measurable like how much weight - how many reps - how far - how long (maybe in a gym or on a home cardio machine or in a class or along with an exercise video etc.)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    BMcC9 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    zibaldize wrote: »
    I am mostly a lump. I know that purposeful exercise offers more benefits than 'physical activity', but as I begin an exercise regimen, I'd also like to incorporate some less structured activity into my life and further cut back on the amount of time I spend on a couch, in front of a screen.

    What sort of things do y'all enjoy? When/where do you fit them into your daily schedules?

    Not sure what you mean by exercise vs physical activity. Physical activity is exercise. I mostly ride my road bike, hit the mountain trails on my mountain bike on weekends, hike, do some rock climbing, and walk my dog. There is very little "structure" in my exercise unless I'm specifically training for something...there doesn't have to be. I'm just a physically active person. The only thing I do that I consider to be a "workout" is lifting weights a few times per week...everything else is just getting out and being active.

    @cwolfman13 , the fact that you have a natural "getting out and being active" lifestyle and focus is wonderful!

    Some people are just plain more inclined to "couch-potato-hood" than you are, and this thread is trying to point out and encourage them to burn calories in "sneak attack" ways that might be harder to pin down in the MFP Exercise tracker.

    In the context of this thread "physical activity" basically means "not sitting on the couch" (could be taking the stairs, pacing while on the phone etc etc) especially if one is just starting out or has physical or injury-related limitations.

    "Exercise" means what most people think as "formal or intentional exercise" / something measurable like how much weight - how many reps - how far - how long (maybe in a gym or on a home cardio machine or in a class or along with an exercise video etc.)

    I think that's part of the problem...people tend to have a very myopic view of "exercise."
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
    I like to park in a shopping area and then walk to each stop/store instead of taking my car around.
    Taking transit instead of cars usually increases walking by default as well.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Walking. Yard-work.