And here’s our Week 3 challenge. Let’s make a point to stand up more often, shift around, or walk a bit every 30 minutes or so. Prolonged sitting is terrible for our health. We can do better!




Take a Stand this Monday!

It’s time to take a stand and protest your chair! Use Monday as an opportunity to stand up more regularly. You will be toning your muscles and increasing flexibility and coordination.

Being a bit antsy could be a good thing! According to the ​Mayo Clinic​, “Any extended sitting — such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen — can be harmful.” Over many years, sitting stacks up poorly against your heart, weight, circulation, and blood sugar, to name a few.

Start slowly. The point isn’t to stand all day but to remember to stand up or move around when you’ve been sitting for much too long.

● Split your time between sitting and standing by letting a timer do all the work. Set it to remind you to stand up, move around, or stretch in 30-minute intervals.
● On the phone? Stand up or pace.
● Get a glass of water! Use hydration to remind you to get up.
● At the office, stand up in meetings and suggest walking and talking instead of sitting.
● At home, get up off that couch! Fit some steps in while watching TV, either by pacing or
walking in place.
● Do some ​standing yoga poses​ between long bouts on the computer.

Starting on Monday then continuing throughout the week, be creative and create excuses to get up more from a desk or couch. It will improve your posture, activate your metabolism, and can help you be more alert. Find us on social media to get more ​out-standing​ ideas! ​Facebook​, ​Twitter​, or Instagram​.

Original post: ​https://www.moveitmonday.org/take-stand-monday/

And it's now Week 4 of our Move It Monday Challenge!



Three Smart Tips to Fit Exercise into Your Lifestyle Every Monday

Exercise is vital to a healthy life. But, it can be difficult to make time for it with a busy schedule. This week we share some ideas to fit fitness into your daily routine. Motivate yourself this Monday to make time for a workout – and continue throughout the rest of the week.

Exercise guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, how you break that up is up to you. Carve out a regular standing time with yourself for fitness and make an appointment. The reason? If you have it in your calendar, you’re more likely to be mentally prepared and show up. Entries like “Swimming” and “Monday Mile” should become regular dates to motivate you to get a move on.

Start this Monday and stick to it throughout the week. When you start the week with fitness, research shows it’s easier to stay motivated and inspired the rest of the week. Schedule time to take a class, go swimming, ride a bike, or go for a Monday Mile. Commit to get moving every Monday.

Small steps can lead to big changes. There are a million things to do every day, and sometimes it feels impossible to get it all done. Scheduling in short bursts of physical activity throughout the day can add up to make a big difference.

Schedule a power lunch. If exercising in the morning or after work isn’t always possible, makeover your lunch hour. Schedule a mid-afternoon yoga class or do a mini-workout at your desk. If it’s nice out, plan a Monday Mile, it’s only 2000 steps and takes less than 20 minutes.

This Monday, make the time to fit fitness into your busy schedule and commit to stick with it throughout the week. For more exercise tips and support, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you! Share your Move It Monday fitness successes.

Original Post: https://www.moveitmonday.org/3-smart-tips-fit-exercise-lifestyle-every-monday/

And here's our Week 5 Challenge! It's a GREAT way to move!




“Let’s dance!” ― David Bowie

Want to have fun and still get some cardio? We recommend a little boogie-woogie. This Monday, dance to improve your mood, your heart, and your life!

No matter what kind of dance you do – swing, waltz, tap, modern – when you dance, you move your arms and legs and strengthen your core. This adds up to great cardio, which means weight management, a stronger heart and lungs, and reduced stress.

But let’s not forget this incredible list of other benefits: Increased muscular strength, endurance, and motor fitness. Better agility, coordination, balance, and flexibility. And maybe the most important, a better mood! Some therapists even prescribe dance to work with shyness, anxiety, and social issues.

You can put on some music at home or sign up for a class to learn the basic steps of any style of dance you like from the cha-cha to the bunny hop. It’s only a matter of wearing comfortable clothes, good and sturdy shoes, and gettin’ a move on!

So, this Monday grab your partner by the hand and do the macarena! Move it Monday is an international campaign committed to encouraging people of all fitness levels to get moving on Mondays. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! We’d love to hear how dance provides a workout you can look forward to week after week.

PinkyPan1 wrote: »

83 minutes on the Gazelle and yoga.

Great job on the gazelle and yoga, @PinkyPan1!

Toyota100 wrote: »

I missed last week I got sick. I haven't been sick in years. I use to have my own office. We just moved to a brand new built hospital. Now, I have a cubicle. Everybody was sick and I just knew I wouldn't get sick. Well, I just got better. I had a cough, sore throat and cold symptoms. I slept last Monday 17 hours off and on. I didn't do any exercising.

This week I'm back at it. I started of this Monday rocking it! I have a desk job, however I had 10k steps by 4pm. I took frequent breaks and the steps added up quickly. Now that everybody is gone in cubicle land, I'm about to do an exercise session at my standing desk.

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!!!

Glad you are back and feeling better, @Toyota100. Sleeping for 17 hours indicates just how sick you were. Great job getting your steps in today! You are very committed and that’s great!

I did a little dancing today. Plus more walking on the treadmill. In about a month I’ll be able to resume walking outdoors, but for now the treadmill is just fine.

Happy Move It Monday, Everyone!