Inspiration
Messages from the Masters |
| Health and fitness expert Covert Bailey once said "Fit people waste their energy while unfit people save their energy." The trick is to find ways to waste your energy while carrying out your routines. "Human effort" energy is like time: You can't save it to use at a later date. The old saying says it best; "If you don't use it you lose it." The following are 10 ways you can burn calories and get your tasks done by wasting some of your stored energy. Mow with the flow. Mow the lawn with a push mower. You can save "fossil fuel" energy and doing it manually will burn off last nights' dessert. Step it up. Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Not only will you burn calories but you will have the stairs all to yourself. Work with me. Walk or ride a bike to work if possible. I have a friend who works two blocks from home and he drives to work each day. If you commute on mass transit, get off at the previous stop and walk the rest of the way. Park and shop. What do most of us do when we go shopping? We look for the cherished parking spot nearest to the store entrance. Some of us continue to drive in circles until the perfect spot becomes available. Why not park away from the crowd? You will burn calories by walking and save your car from parking lot dents and dings. Home work. Do your housework with vigor. Put on your favorite music with an up-beat tempo and work at a much quicker pace. Walk this way. Go for a walk. Take a friend, neighbor, co-worker or a dog (yours or a neighbors) and go for a brisk walk. It is low impact, convenient and free. Clean it up. Wash your dishes by hand. By cleaning them manually and at a quick tempo you burn calories and save on your electric bill (especially in California) Rake it in. Raking leaves at a vigorous pace for 20 minutes is the equivalent of running one mile. Drink it down. Drink eight pints of ice water a day. According to "Men's Health" magazine your body will expend 123 calories of heat daily to warm the water to body temperature. That amounts to losing a pound a month. Eat breakfast. According to research at Duke University, those who skip breakfast eat more later and choose foods higher in fat and calories. The bottom line: Look at the routines you currently maintain. See if you can find creative ways to continue doing what you already do, only with added health benefits. You will find it much easier done than said. This article was submitted by Steve Kendall. |