Sunnybank Obesity Centre

[megans]

Handy home hints to keep you active
by Karen Inge

Boost your incidental activity with these workout hints when cooking in the kitchen or watching your favourite TV program:

Cooking capers

Turn on some music that you can dance to, or move along with, while cooking.
When getting the ingredients out of the cupboards feel how heavy they are by lifting them up and down a few times.
When getting ingredients or utensils out of lower drawers do a few extra squats.
While standing and waiting for the food to be mixed or microwaved, try and contract your stomach muscles. This may require you to tilt your pelvis up. Try putting your hands on your lower abdominal muscles and see if you can feel them working.
Try cutting up vegetables by hand instead of using a food processor or pre-cut varieties. This can be a great reliever of stress and frustration.
Try and mix ingredients by hand instead of using a mixer (this will take longer but you will see great results in arm strength and hand grip strength).
Try opening a jar lid and then tightening it back up again. Repeat this several times.
Instead of setting the table all at once. Walk around the table placing the forks, then around again placing the spoons and so forth.


TV times

Try walking on the spot while watching TV. Remember it all adds up to help increase your energy expenditure.
Tune in, not out: Research has shown that while watching some TV programs, the energy used is actually only equal to that used while asleep. Therefore, try and keep your mind and body active while watching TV.
Instead of sitting there watching the same old boring ads why not get up and move around during the ad break. Try some stomach contractions or pelvic floor exercises.
Don't just find a comfortable position and stay in it, wiggle your legs, circle your feet or move your arms or hands and become a wiggly watcher. Remember every little bit helps!!!