Getting more activity in each day - anyone want to join me?

[letsgetactive]

I am early 50s and getting really stiff and sore from a fully WFH full time job.

I really need to build more activity into my day, but struggling with getting my arse out of my chair.

Is anyone in a similar position and would like to join me?

Thought we could encourage each other to get up and more during the day?.

Me please. Walked to the shop today and still have only managed 5,000 steps. Some days I barely move at all

Every half hour ( DSE compliance ) stand up and stretch - pick a couple of stretches and hold for 30 a each

Add ten squats or press-ups or a single leg balance

Don take water into your office - walk to the kitchen

Jog on the spot for the really boring calls

Online yoga for lunch or straight after work

Great! I don’t even get near 5000 steps! I don’t have a pedometer but I’d be surprised if I get out of the 100s. it’s probably in the low 100s!

Today I am going to go to a class. Still haven’t decided whether to try yoga at lunch or an over 50s fitness class in the morning ( bit more of a piss take from my employers point of view!)

But what I really need is to move more during the day. Like get up out of my chair and move every half hour or 45 mins or hour or something.

I watched an advert for mobility training programme on Facebook and the woman in the advert said, ‘Your body is a coffin you are building around you, stiff and inflexible. You are choosing stillness over movement, comfort over capacity’. And I thought, that’s me! I am doing that! Except it’s more like choosing defeated lethargy over capacity! The woman on that advert also said that one hour class a day won’t do it and I think she is right. I do think it’s regular movement in the day that I need.

What would you like to do? Would you like to check in at regular points in the day to get us up and moving? I realise it’s tricky fitting around meetings snd stuff, but some sort of check in might help keep us motivated?

Thanks! I don’t think I can manage to jog and talk without it being really obvious I am jogging!

i’ve started doing 5 ten mins of stretching in the morning but I do think I need mobility moves in the day, rather than just a static stretch. Squatting and press ups is a good idea. I’d like to see if there is a way to squat in my seat rather than sit. I’ve tried but the back of my seat flexes so I’m worried I’ll fall out! Actually, I’ll try just now to find a way to make it stiff and unmoving!

@letsgetactive planning a class sounds positive- it really irritates me that our local over 50s yoga is 10:30 which is really impossible on a working day. I’ll try and do an online yoga when I finish work. I’ve set my phone to remind me at 10 to each hour with the phrase capacity over comfort so hopefully I can move a bit more. Happy to check in through the day. What stretches do you currently do?

Just some yoga stretches at the start and end of each day. I can never remember the name of them all, do some downward and upward dog, some hip stretches, some side stretches, the bridge one. I always feel a bit better if I do them.

Was going to go to the over 50s class at 9.30, but my husband seems to have bogged off for a run! And I now need to wait in for a parcel. Very annoyed with him. He has not worked for 10 months, but instead of using the time constructively to sort the house out, the house is still a shit heap whilst he prioritises his exercise and hobbies, whilst I keep us afloat working full time and getting stiffer and stiffer through immobility. Grr!

Yes ok 10 to the hour is a good idea. I might try every half an hour actually, to start, just because I feel if I leave it an hour I might get into that slump mode that means I don't motivate myself to get up again. Just going to do 5 mins of movement now!

This is me! I do a lot of exercise in the evenings but am pretty much at my desk all day 8-5. I've downloaded an app called Bend which had lots of stretching routines. You can choose a specific area, shoulders, legs, tech neck etc and a duration of 5, 10, 15 mins. I try to fit 2 in a day between meetings and it's helping.

Did my first lot of movement, a few mins of jumping ( 120 jumps) 20 high kicks on each leg, some crab crawls, elephant and bear crawls, and monkey crawls, a few hip and ankle strengthening and then a round of pelvic floor : )

Hoorah for me!

Bear crawls are hideous! I feel challenged now !

Wow that’s impressive @letsgetactive 😱 been for a quick walk but obviously need to up my game

It was just a few minutes - a quick walk would have been better probably.

Did another 100 jumps later - but been still since then. Its so hard to get into a routine!

Need to think about getting ready for my yoga class now.

On the days I work from home I have a 30 minute walk at lunchtime and then an evening walk. I generally do about 10,000 steps on these days. I do feel so much better if I've had a walk and sleep better too.

I feel much better for going to my yoga class. Its a mix of yoga and ballet so it is quite good.

@massistar thank you for the app recommendation - I downloaded Bend a few days ago and it's exactly what I've been needing. I'm managing to fit in three quick bursts of stretches at different points in my day and it's really helping. I like that you can target different parts of the body - neck, shoulders, lower back, posture etc. Thank you.

Oh thats great @southchinasea ! Glad you found it useful. It's fab isn't it? ☺️