BOISE, Idaho — The American Heart Association is celebrating Move More Month this April, encouraging everyone to incorporate physical activity into their daily schedule.
While many of us may be missing our regular gym routine, it's still possible to get moving wherever you are--even without equipment. You can do lunges, burpees, take a walk around your neighborhood, hold a living room dance party, try gardening, and more from home. No matter what you choose, you'll see the benefits overall.
"It decreases the risk for heart disease, blood pressure goes down, cholesterol improves, and in fact, people just have less heart trouble when they move," said Dr. Nick Hodgman from Saint Alphonsus Nampa. "Plenty of studies have shown us even when people just take the stairs more often than those who take the elevators, they live longer."
Dr. Hodgman says there are easy ways to hold yourself accountable when you're working out at home.
"Creating a habit for yourself, becoming someone who likes to move. Obviously any sort of social interaction, helping others help you get involved, and being online can help," said Dr. Hodgman.
Keeping your family active can have benefits like boosting mental health and reducing stress. Taking those small, daily steps can add up to huge strides. That includes taking other measures while walking the aisles at the grocery store.
"Everybody has to shop, everybody has to leave the home sometimes so park far out. Any opportunity to get your body moving more is good so parking far out from the store entrance, taking the stairs, and just taking a walk," said Dr. Hodgman. "The recommendation is 30 minutes a day, five days a week of a brisk walk, and it really has shown to reduce people's cardiac events."
To find exercises to work into your daily routine, click here. For virtual workouts, click here.
Here in the Treasure Valley, the annual Heart & Stroke Walk will be held Thursday, June 11 and is being held virtually. To find out how to get involved while staying home, click here. You can follow AHA Idaho on social media to keep up with all the latest news and events: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
