Exercise through Volunteering

When you volunteer to walk or run for a 5K, you know that you will also personally benefit from the physical activity. Yet, there are more ways that just walking or running to get a little exercise while volunteering. You may be able volunteer at a local kitchen to wash dishes, serve meals, and organize the pantry, all of which fight our sedentary habits. Other organizations may need help with landscaping or janitorial cleaning. Even something as simple as sweeping can give you a decent workout.

A few things to be aware of while doing manual labor to reduce the risk of injury:

1. Lifting heavy objects. Squat down to lift heavy objects. Read Kelly's blog for more information about Lifting Properly to avoid injury.
   
2. Refrain from twisting. It's easy to injure your back by twisting quickly while doing manual labor. Instead of twisting, try to turn your whole body, whether you're moving a box or sweeping.
3. Take breaks. Even though you're volunteering, you still need to be able to take breaks. Be sure to use that time to stay hydrated.

If you ever experience pain, stop whatever you're doing to prevent further injury. I suggest using ice on the injured area as soon as possible. For more tips on how to properly use ice on an injury (and when to use heat instead), check out our blog Heat vs Ice.

To add variety to your exercise routine, look for volunteer opportunities and get exercise at the same time.

Dancing for Valentine's Day

Finding a non-cliché way to celebrate Valentine's Day can be difficult, especially if you're on a diet and trying to avoid the chocolate sweets. While we may not think of exercise as a fun way to celebrate, it may just get your heart rate up and fill your heart with laughter and love, especially if you ask some loved ones to join you.

When my kids were little, we used to have impromptu dance parties. Sometimes we would waltz, twirl, jump around, or all of the above! Our dance form didn't really matter; we were just having fun spending time together as we got in some good cardio exercise! If you have kids of your own, you can start up an impromptu dance party to the radio or attend a local daddy/daughter dance.

Even if you don't have kids, you can still have some fun dancing this Valentine's Day. If you feel like staying home, you can purchase a dance exercise videos on DVD or you can stream one online. If you can't dance, there are some good walking videos set to music. However, if you do feel like going out, you may look for a contradance or a Zumba class. Whether you invite a friend or go to make friends, it'll be sure to get your heart rate up as you have some fun celebrating Valentine's Day.

Lifting Properly While Deep Cleaning

With those unseasonably warm days keep showing up this winter, many of us may want to take advantage to clean out the garage, organize the coat closet, or start early on yard work this year. Whether you’re throwing out heavy trash bags or giving away boxes to charity, be sure you’re lifting properly to avoid strain or injury. Keep these tips in mind:

• Squat. Instead of bending over to pick up box of throw-aways, squat down and lift with your legs.
• Avoid Twisting. Be careful not to twist while you’re lifting. Instead, lift the box or bag to an upright standing position, and then walk to reposition your body to where you need to place the box or bag.
• Split up heavy loads. If a box is overloaded, take the time to split up the contents with a second box. Taking a second trip is worth keeping yourself from injury.

Don’t forget to take breaks to admire your hard work, grab a drink of water, and catch your breath.

Ways to Stay Active Throughout Your Day

Sometimes, we have trouble motivating ourselves to stay active, yet one of the best ways to fight a sedentary lifestyle is to simply plan activity throughout your day. Here's some ideas you can try to add to your day-to-day activities.

Walking to Get the Mail

It's easy to drive down to the mailbox, but taking the time to walk to the mailbox everyday can help benefit your health and fitness. Or, if you have a post office box, try parking out farther and walking in to get your mail.

Toe Raises While Brushing Teeth

Whether you're getting ready for your day or getting ready for bed, try doing toe raises while at the sink. You can use the counter to help keep your balance as you workout your calves. You can also try this when you hand-wash dishes.

Get Up Off the Couch

When you are watching TV, get up during commercials or set a timer to prompt you to get up at least once an hour. You can do squats, stretch, take out the dog, or walk in place or around the couches. You can even try dancing to the music of commercials, which may give you an ab workout from laughing! :)

Take Breaks at Work

In this Age of Information, many of us have desk jobs. When you're having a busy, stressful day, it's easy to forget to get up to take breaks. Research shows that we need to get up at least once per hour to walk around for five minutes. Walking around every hour helps save the lining of your arteries and vessels in your legs, which helps increase blood flow. For more tips on how to reduce pain related to sitting at workstations, read our blog "Workstation Tips."

Remember, the most important aspect when trying to become more active is to take small steps. Choose one lifestyle change until it becomes a habit. Then, you can add another lifestyle change or additional exercise. As long as you aren't experiencing pain, any physical activity counts!

Warming Up This Winter

When most people think of staying warm during the winter, they think of putting on more layers of clothing, turning up the heater, starting a fire in the fireplace, or cuddling underneath blankets. We tend to forget that activity can also warm our bodies up.

When my twin girls were younger, they would put on sweaters and wrap up in blankets whenever they were cold while doing their homework. I suggested every time they felt a little cold to get up and do a set of squats. By the end of the day, they would work in quite a bit of exercise and help themselves stay warm through activity.

Try finding exercise that you enjoy. You can walk around the house for a few minutes, maybe even picking up some clutter as you go, or you can do your home exercises from your doctor or physical therapist. Even stretching can help you warm up. Just remember to have proper form with whatever exercise you choose to keep yourself from injury.

Walking on Ice

I remember one winter I slipped on the ice and landed on my elbow. Oh, did it hurt!

Going out after a winter storm can be dangerous, and falling on ice can cause a more serious injury than just a sore elbow. After my slip on the ice, I wanted to share precautions I take when walking on ice. Although these tips may help prevent you from falling and hurting yourself, they cannot guarantee you won't slip or fall. My best advice is to just stay home until the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots are cleared; that's the safest way to keep yourself from a fall and possible injury. I also recommend keeping a pair of ice cleats in your car or in your home so that you have extra traction on your shoes if you have to go out.

If you find you have to go out on the icy roads, remember the following tips when walking on ice.

• Take small steps.
• Keep your center of gravity above your feet.
• Don’t accelerate quickly. Walking at a steady pace allows you to maintain your balance if you begin to slip or fall.
• Avoid slopes where you can lose your balance easily.
• Never slide your feet. If your foot should catch on a rock or other object, it could cause you to stumble and fall.

Whenever you're about to step out of a car or out of the house, try testing the ground to see if it's slick. Hold onto something to keep yourself secure as you check if the ground is slick.

To summarize, stay inside if at all possible. If you have to go out, put on a pair of ice cleats and keep the above tips in mind.

Make a fresh start when necessary

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Some people are so discouraged from failed goals from the past that they don’t even attempt to make resolutions in January. Developing a healthy lifestyle is a goal worth making permanent. The most important habit is not quitting, but starting again whenever necessary. If you ate too many sweets at holiday parties, start again planning healthy snacks. The present is always a great time to start a new exercise program. If you find yourself feeling sluggish in June, try making a mid-year resolution! If you need motivation and direction for healthy exercise, you can always call and make an appointment with your physical therapist. When you find yourself suffering the consequences of poor lifestyle choices, resolve to start again.