HEALTHY HABITSâ—½ YOU
I was really taken aback on Black Friday this past November, when almost 100% of my friends on Instagram and Facebook said they’d rather order gifts from the comfort of their sofas on line, than head out to the stores on what used to be the biggest shopping day of the year! It hurt this heart to hear! I love getting out in the hustle/bustle to see the stores and the lights, and yes – the people that are shopping – everywhere. But I get it. It’s easier and so convenient to not move, while you shop. And it got me thinking…
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Sitting on the sofa, while so inviting in the wintertime, is not a good thing if that’s all we do. Oh, of course, it’s great to cozy up with a blanket by the fire and put on a good movie, I love that for sure! But there is also something to be said for getting off that sofa this January, and here are some ideas for keeping your body moving when all you want to do is sit. (There are times to just sit, but this list is for those times we need to move)
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When sitting in a movie theater, instead of reclining the seat for the whole two hours, sit it up right and swing your legs up and down sometime during the movie to keep your blood flowing!
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When watching a movie at home, get on the floor and scoot across the room or do leg lifts, at some point during the film.
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​When the weather is bearable, instead of staying home on the sofa, head to the mall and walk, and walk and talk, and talk. And grab a pretzel for two!
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When you’ve spent an hour reading a good book under a warm blanket, throw off the blanket and dance. Use your phone or your TV, but find some music and move…and worship, too!
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When friends are over and you’ve eaten and sat on the sofa talking for hours, get up after they leave and move. Stretch. Bend. Make that body that was still wake up and move.
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When you’ve sat on the sofa and thrown your feet over his lap for a rub, and you then dozed off for a bit…wake up and smile. Head to the kitchen to clean up and make every bend purposeful, and every stretch in a cabinet a high reach. Focus on those joints!
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When you’re folding clothes on the sofa, or sorting things or sitting and relaxing, that’s great. But when you’re done, try this. Skip from room to room or jump or stop and dance, between putting away all of the things where they belong.
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When you’ve visited friends and all you did was sit on their chairs and then their sofa for hours, take a walk. You can even do this at home, with a video, or around the neighborhood, or stop at Target and walk every aisle.
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When you wake up, jump 50 times. We recently started this. Look it up. There are so many benefits to this one exercise!
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Nine little reminders to get up off that sofa and move, this winter. Don’t give up the sofa, just don’t let it be the only place you park. Remind yourself to move and enjoy a little dance, a little skip, a walk here and there, and a whole lot of movement to keep that body going…and have fun!