If you have a moderately active lifestyle, you probably meet or are close to meeting the recommended exercise levels in most weeks. Don’t stop there! Importantly, 150 minutes of exercise per week, does not cover all your physical activity recommendations. Even if you are meeting all the recommendations, you will do better by gradually increasing your intensity and fitness level.

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Importantly, if you are sitting for many hours (even if you exercise daily), you need to add frequent activity breaks (even if short), to break sedentary time and add movement throughout the day. It may be challenging to put in practice, if you are around people, and it is not the norm to move in your surroundings. VMove helps overcoming such barriers. Download and post the logo and flyer to explain to people with whom you spend time regularly as well as to inspire others.

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It is also important to complement your cardiorespiratory (150 min per week) with resistance (2 or 3 days per week), flexibility (2 or 3 days per week) and neuromotor (2 or 3 days per week). Some of these can be incorporated in short sessions throughout the day to optimize the health benefits and help in time management.

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Some days you may not be able to exercise because you are outside your home or in different settings. Don’t worry about people watching, introduce them to VMove, inspire them to move with the logo, hand signal or by showing them people moving in public on the VMove Facebook page or website. Find ways to incorporate exercise in 10-minutes or longer grouped sessions.

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Here are some examples of activities:

• Walk at a moderate or brisk pace inside or outside.

• Make walking part of your daily commute even if you drive

• Race/Jog in place

• Do calisthenics, using your body weight to work your muscles, such as light Yoga, squats, gymnastics

• Dance. Put some music on (or play it in your head) and polish those dance moves. Is somebody watching? Get them to join you. It will benefit you both and make it more fun.  Try different styles such as aerobic and free style dancing, and simple folk dances that can be done easily by groups

• Play some team sports or games which require movement.

• Spend time socializing while walking or hiking.

• Use TV viewing time to do some exercises or light activity

• Housework such as ironing or cooking can be done while actively moving (perhaps adding some dance moves).

• Gardening and outdoors work: Doing some garden or backyard maintenance, washing your car, or cleaning up your neighborhood, will help you be more physically active while accomplishing other goals.