By James D. Walter, PhD

Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation care specialists recognize that, in exercise, the world has arguably the most powerful form of medicine known to mankind. Yet, while more physical movement can have a positive impact on most or all chronic diseases, many Americans struggle to make it part of their daily routine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, “approximately 25% of American adults report being completely inactive, and more than 60% are not regularly physically active. This means that a significant portion of the adult population in the US is not meeting the recommended guidelines for physical activity and many are not engaging in any physical activity at all.” 

These statistics beg the question: If we are asking people to do something (exercise) that can have a profound benefit on their health and their lives, based on decades of research, and they still don’t do it … are we asking too much? Is the burden of a lack of time or motivation too much? And, if that’s the case, as I believe it is, maybe we need to modify our messaging to promote behavior that anyone can do — and that is to simply move more than you currently do. 

That’s not to suggest that organized exercise is unimportant. My own father died after suffering his third heart attack at age 45, and an inactive lifestyle was certainly one of several lifestyle factors that likely contributed to his premature death. But when I reflect back on his short life, his days were not remarkably different from those of countless other parents: he would work all day then come home to his kids, eat dinner, perhaps attend one of our sporting events, help with homework, and do some of his own work before heading off to bed. When was he supposed to exercise or even be active?

Doesn’t this sound a little like your own hectic life or those of your patients?

What if we all could build more movement into our days and be able to do that without having to designate a specific amount of time for this purpose?

It’s actually fairly simple to re-engineer the day to add more movement without taking time out of your busy schedule. To start, here are 10 suggestions; but please don’t limit your thinking to these alone — come up with your own! Take note that these ideas are merely substituting movement for times when you might otherwise be sedentary, or requiring you take a few more steps to accomplish the same task.

Instead of the front door, use your side door to go out and retrieve the newspaper or mail.

Use a restroom in your house or workplace that is located on a different floor than the one where you are working.

To refill your water bottle, use the water station furthest from your work area.

Park your car further away from a building’s entrance.

When talking on the phone at home, meander around the house instead of remaining stationary.

When you take your kids to sports practice, walk around the field instead of sitting in a lawn chair.

Take the steps instead of the elevator/escalator.

Don’t watch your child get a haircut — walk around the shopping plaza until the stylist is finished.

While waiting to board a flight, move around the airport.

Instead of sitting in the dealership lounge while your vehicle is being serviced, walk around and check out the onsite inventory.

These are just 10 suggestions of many, so be creative and think differently as you go about your day. One of our greatest minds, Albert Einstein, told us that “imagination is more important than knowledge,” but he also taught us that “nothing happens until something moves!”

The question you may ask is, will any of these actions by themselves have an impact on your health? The answer is no!  But, if you incorporate several of these ideas (and several of your own) into your day, every day … then, yes, it is possible to gain health benefits. Below are two citations to support this:

• In 2020, we learned from the Mayo Clinic Proceedings that even something as basic as replacing sitting with standing can result in small but statistically significant decreases in fasting blood sugar levels and body fat mass.
• A September 2022 JAMA article cited that each additional 2,000 steps per day — up to 10,000 — is associated with 8%-11% fewer deaths and less heart disease and cancer. Walking quickly reportedly has an even stronger link to lowering health risks. 

Your health is your responsibility; and while exercising would be ideal, remember that moving more is something that everyone can accomplish and potentially benefit from. Be well!

Jim Walter is the founder and president of the Institute for the Preservation of Health. He holds a PhD in cardiovascular exercise physiology.