4 ways to move more this month

APRIL is recognised as Move More Month, promoted by the American Heart Association to encourage people to take part in more physical activity. How can you make moving part of your daily life, even if you live a super sedentary lifestyle?

Here are some tips from fitness trainer Demario Johns.

Get the right ‘fit

Buying new gears and shoes might just be the incentive you need to get off that couch, Johns said. So search for some cute exercise gear on Shein or Amazon, get some comfortable shoes, a phone strap or running belt for storing your phone, and then download a playlist of your favourite songs, or your best podcast, then go walking.

Download a tracker app

This may be the thing to get you motivated — an app that tracks your steps and calories burnt that gets you excited about moving. The Samsung Health app is free and good for android, and the Health app on your iPhone also automatically counts your steps, walking, and running distances. Even small wins are celebrated, so you will feel good, even if all you did was walk around the block.

Make everything count

Every activity you do — loading groceries in the car, walking to the store, walking up the stairs at work, or even walking across the parking lot to the canteen — should count towards your movement for the day, and your daily steps. When you make everything count, you won’t feel like you have to put on workout gear and psych yourself up to do actual exercise.

Do something fun

Make sure that whatever exercise you choose, you can have some fun while doing it, to keep your interest up. Example, if you tune in to your favourite TV programme while you’re on your exercise bike or the treadmill, the time will pass without you noticing. Also, you may prefer to take up a recreational sport such as swimming or netball, or even start a football programme with the teens in your community, so you would be moving and enjoying yourself, without feeling like it’s a chore.