Do you want to know how to become more active? So does most of the country. The problem is that our society is built upon the Cult of Instant. The Cult of Instant is the mentality that anything of worth must be given to us now. Texting, social media, drive thrus, instant noodles, instant coffee, and millions of devices and gadgets designed to save us the most expensive commodity, which is time. We only have so much of it.

We have fallen prey to the idea that our health must have short cuts as well. Try this fad diet! Use this ab machine! Take this class! Down these pills! Wear these pants! Follow what the stars do! What people fail to realize is that health is not something you can shortcut long term. Your health is a lifestyle. Let me repeat. A lifestyle. You cannot change it in one day. You must change it EVERYDAY.

I’ve seen so many people that will look in the mirror and say enough is enough and get a gym membership, go to the gym, run on a treadmill for 2 hours and never return. Let me be clear. Unless you are marathon runner training to run in Boston, cardio for 2 hours is counterproductive. Honestly anything over 30 minutes is overkill. It not only is not healthy physically in that moment but it makes you so tired you don’t come back. The ideal program will be designed to be something that you enjoy and will do over and over willingly. You must actually like doing it or you won’t. It shouldn’t be a walk in the part physically but it should be an activity you like. The goal is to create a habit and a routine. That is how you get a lifestyle change. A little bit each day.

Health is pretty simple but we like to make it complicated. Burn more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. Stay away from any kind of fad. Be very careful with supplements because none are regulated by FDA and can claim whatever they want so do your research. Usually when people lose weight on diet pills its water weight that they gain right back and even worse.

Find what you like to do. It could be traditional sports, weight lifting, Crossfit, running, dodgeball, water polo, or walking every day at lunch. The point is to move. Another piece of advice is to mix it up. I like to mix things up on 4-6 week cycles and keep my workout times but switch up the exercises. This keeps it interesting as well as helps you avoid exercise plateaus.

When you start moving every day you will see changes and not just in your body. You will see your energy increase, sleep comes easier, and your overall well-being will benefit.