If you’re like most – you are sitting in an office 9am – 5pm, Monday – Friday… you sit during your commute to the office and then back home again, and by the time you get in you’re exhausted so you sit some more. How do we fit activity into our daily lives when the environment around us is promoting comfort and ease?

Small changes to this routine, will make a big difference to your health and wellness. Here are a few tips to get more activity into your day-to-day routine…

At your desk – Do sitting calf raises while you’re on the phone and get your blood flowing.

Lunch – Go for a short walk at lunch rather than sitting the entire time.

Shopping – Rather than fighting for a space at the front of the parking lot… park at the back and walk up.

Commuting – Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.

Watching TV – Get up and walk around during commercials.

Cooking – Put on some music and dance!

Finally, I strongly recommend using a pedometer to track your activity — especially for those that are just starting out. Whether you’re stuck in a non-active rut or if you’re simply looking to fit more activity into your lifestyle, than the first step is knowing what your activity is now, and then setting a goal to increase it. Setting a step count goal and tracking your activity will help motivate you to park further away, walk during lunch or dance more while you prepare dinner! It won’t be long before you notice having more energy.