Sprinkle movement into your day
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A common question we've been hearing from our community members is ‘How can I get more physical activity during this time?’
One of the many challenges you’re faced with right now is trying to maintain your usual exercise routine. A lot of you are stepping up to the challenge and are running on a treadmill, using a stationary bike, or tuning in to online fitness classes. This is awesome - keep it up!
However, even though you’re putting in all this effort to maintain your fitness, something that is often overlooked is how long you're sitting the rest of the day. On a normal day you might walk to and from your car multiple times per day, or maybe you walk to grab a meal or to your favourite coffee shop. You’re always on the go - running from a meeting, to the grocery store, to taking the dog out for a walk. Unfortunately, most of these activities are no longer possible. And even though you’re trying your best to maintain your fitness, you’re probably still more sedentary now than you ever have been.
So how can you increase your physical activity? It’s simple: decrease inactivity.
Instead of worrying so much about what exactly you should be doing, just get up and MOVE. Moving can be anything - setting an alarm every hour to stand up and stretch, doing a couple flights of stairs, or getting outside for a quick walk (provided you’re practicing social distancing!).
The key is to just do it often. Sprinkling movement into your day helps decrease the risk of countless chronic diseases, increases energy levels, and improves mental clarity and focus. So if you’re having trouble focusing while working from home, get moving!
What are we finding in the research?
Here’s a crazy fact for you: people who exercise at a moderate-intensity on a regular basis cut their risk of contracting an upper-respiratory tract infection by half!
The research is clear: the more we exercise, the stronger our immune system gets. Note that this dose-response relationship is only beneficial up to a certain point. If you’re participating in really high-intensity exercise often (for example if you’re an elite athlete or training for a marathon), you will actually deplete your immune system and you’re more likely to get sick.
However, for the majority of us, increasing exercise will boost our immune system, which is important now more than ever.
If you want to learn more about exercise and immune function, check out this recent article by Alex Hutchinson in the Globe and Mail.
