It’s time to rekindle your love for sport & activity
After putting in eight – or more – hours at your job, maintaining an active lifestyle can sometimes fall off your post-work to-do list. But, before you chuck those cross-trainers in the bin, let’s think back for a quick second: remember all those afternoons and evenings spent with friends playing sports and enjoying physical activity as a kid? Getting active used to be the first thing we thought of once the bell rang and the day was out. Linking up with friends to shoot hoops, play street hockey or even hit up the local pool for a swim were just a few of the ways we engaged in regular physical activity.
Fast forward to 2018, and despite all the amazing health benefits that physical activity can have (such as preventing Type 2 diabetes, some cancers, heart disease and mental illness), more adults in Canada than ever are spending most of their waking hours sitting down — it’s time to rekindle our love for sports and activity.
Look, we get it, everyone gets run down and sleepy from time to time, and we’ve all hammered the snooze button a few mornings a week to get in every possible second of shut eye. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still be active. There are many simple ways to include physical activity in your weekly routine, even if that means sneaking it in after you punch the clock.
Taking up a more active post-work routine will help you feel more energized to tackle the rest of your to-do list and also help you to work, unwind and sleep better. Read on for five tips on how you can get active after work:
Grab a co-worker & get active together
You spend all day with “Greg” from accounting, anyway, so why not make a pit stop at the pool together on lunch or join a gym that’s close to both of you. Teaming up with a co-worker is a great way to set mutual activity goals and help each other stick to them.
Join a team or league
An excellent opportunity to get out of the house, build social connections and get active at the same time is getting involved with organized sports or activities (including community-based rec teams and intramurals). Re-connect with old college roomies or even meet new friends and flex those team-building muscles. You don’t need to be playing every night to reap the benefits – an hour or two a week can go a long way to maintaining a healthy routine.
Try pick-up sports
Don’t have the time or the bodies to commit to a team? No sweat (save that for the court!), try your hand at a sport or activity that doesn’t require as much commitment. Your local community centres are a great place to start as they offer activities on a drop-in basis. Try a spin or yoga class or even an indoor game of soccer before you head home.
Active commutes
Speaking of heading home, why not leave the car parked at the office and walk or jog home. Or park a few blocks away from home and walk. Taking public transit? Try getting off a stop or two sooner. Those extra blocks will all add up in the long run. Plus, think of the all that saved gas money!
Take your kids’ lead
We learn from our children all the time: new trends, the hottest songs and latest catch phrases. So why not take their lead and join in on some of the activities and sports they’re involved in? The next time the kids get together for a game of soccer at the park, why not join in and clock some of the 150 minutes of weekly heart-pumping physical activity that adults require.
And don’t forget…
November is Men’s Health Awareness Month: to learn more about the health risks facing men and how to combat them, check out the Movember Canada website.
