I found movement to have been a big part of my life with exercise always in the mix. It has been this way from when I was a little tacker, when I had been playing football, soccer, tag with my brother, sisters & mates, as well as getting into karate all the way up to my black belt. So it has been an easy transition to making movement just a part of how I live my life, active & exercising.

I do believe that this is a struggle for many though, as it can be overwhelming when creating a life that is active. As a result, I suppose that question rises, How many times do I need to exercise and move? That question is quite a big one when you think about it. Compare this question to, how big is love? Hmmmm tricky….

How many times do I need to exercise and move?

Maybe if we reframe that question and think about why movement is important to you. Or possibly why is it important for me to be exercising? With this line of questioning it helps shape the next step, which is goals. Take this example, ‘I want to run 5km comfortably’. Having a defined goal, gives us guidelines to support us in achieving that goal. If I want to be running 5km comfortably, it will be create a need to be training up to four times a week in order to reach the goal set. If that is the standard that I feel hits the mark and I am happy with what is needed to be done. There is my answer to how many times I need to be exercising.

Create more general movement

Outside of the exercising part of it all, there is general movement. I mean, you have got 24 hours in a day. There is time for sleeping, there is working time but there is time outside of these two that is your time. Locate & tally up the time that you are not sleeping or working and here is an opportunity to be moving more. Move with your family; go walking, go bike riding, go to beach or pools and go swimming together. These examples are ones that you’ll probably enjoy doing with less hesitation. If you enjoy something, you may find you connect better with the idea of moving more.

I believe it is a great idea to follow this pathway. If it is not a hurdle to get out and go for a ride, the time you are looking to “move” more has better chances of increasing if you enjoy it. Flip this idea. Now think if you are to go to the gym or are to be going down to your local park for group outdoor classes will it not become a ‘larger’ hurdle to overcome. Excuses might already be popping up in your mind. Stick with enjoyable activities, which you connect with well, to raise the amount of times you move & exercise

Workplaces can be a gym!

We have talked about exercise and we have talked about general movement. Both are awesome to include to help you feel like you are moving enough. There is one area we have to bring up, work time. A large portion of time is spent at our workplaces being quite sedentary, in turn there is a big opportunity to be moving more!

Can you ride your bike into work & get an indoor trainer to put close to your desk or in some communal area at your workplace. Then jump on & getting spinning, for even as little as 5 minutes every hour. By getting up and making the time to move/exercise your body is better off  & you increase the time you are moving. If this idea isn’t an option, go out for a little walk around the office block. Bonus turn that into a little rapid workout where you are doing some body weight squats, push-ups, and burpees. This will get the blood pumping.

By being proactive with the time you have, you are starting to make steps towards your goal of moving more.

You do not just stop moving after the goal, life keeps going and so should movement.

These are just some ideas that I have raised. And if that helps you take steps closer towards you ticking the box of, “I feel like I have done enough” Wicked!! Remember, at the end of the day, movement is not just a goal that finishes by doing X, Y and Z & on such & such date. It is forever. You do not just stop moving after the goal, life keeps going and so should movement. So keep that in the back of the mind when you are enjoying active time with your family, or if you are at the gym and you are putting all this pressure on yourself to hit the goal. There is always going to be next year, and the year after, it is for life guys.