Moving More Every Day

As you help your clients understand the benefits of moving more, it’s important to remind them that all movement doesn’t need to be done in the gym.

Elisabeth Andrews, MPH, is a personal trainer with lots of great ideas for moving more every day.

Offer your clients these ideas for increasing their activity levels. Simple suggestions and small steps can make a big impact on overall fitness. Be sure to help and encourage clients to implement these ideas as necessary.

• Use a pedometer to track daily step counts.
• Create a list of destinations that are walking distance from home or the office.
• Record how you spend your time over the course of a week, to identify opportunities for short bouts of activity.
• Draw up a plan for the week that includes several short walks per day; for example, a walk around the block in the morning, a trip to the post office at lunch and a visit to a colleague in a nearby building in the afternoon.
• Become familiar with parks and other recreation areas in town.
• Make the cellphone a fitness tool: Stand and stroll when talking on the phone.
• Try an app that will remind you to stand up and stretch at regular intervals.
• De-automate: put away remote controls, take the stairs instead of the elevator, use a push lawnmower, and walk or bike whenever possible.
• Find walking groups or other active social networks.
• Park smart: Always park at the back of the parking lot to sneak in extra steps.

See also: Are 10,000 Steps Necessary?

Moving More (and Burning Calories, too)

Some clients are motivated to move by knowing how many calories they’re burning.  This information might give some extra impetus to get off the couch.

Caloric Expenditure During Activities of Daily Living (per Hour)

based on a 150-pound person

See also: Case Study: Coaching a Sedentary Client