Week 4: Spice up Your Routine

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final week of the MOVEmber Challenge!

Here are six ways to spice up your routine so you stay motivated to keep moving:

1. Set up a buddy system. Working out with others often provides added motivation. Pick a partner to go for walks with each week. It’s a great way to get active and interact!
2. Walk in intervals. Walking at variable speeds can boost your metabolism. Try walking fast for one minute then slow down for 30 seconds. Repeat this 20 times.
3. Spend time in nature. Try taking your steps outdoors. According to research, time spent in nature can decrease stress and negative thoughts, increase cognitive functioning and short-term memory, boost creativity, and may even make people nicer. Find a few nature paths close to your workplace so you can retreat for a rejuvenating walk during your lunchtime.
4. Take the stairs. A 150-pound person walking upstairs for a half-hour burns about 100 calories more than walking at a moderate pace. Track down staircases at nearby parks, high school stadiums and other locations. Walking at an incline, such as on a treadmill, is another great option.
5. Go on an adventure. Push yourself to go the distance on the weekends. This may include longer nature hikes or a walking tour of a nearby historical town. Devise routes that will take at least an hour to complete and help you to build your endurance.

Turn up the tunes. Exercise and music complement one another. Research shows that working out while listening to your favorite songs – or even just fast-paced music — can speed up your pace, increase your workout endurance, make exercise feel easier, and can even help your muscles recover quicker.

Transforming your health is all about lasting change. Once the challenge is over, what will you do to keep up with your new lifestyle? Make the new, healthy behaviors you have adopted during this challenge part of your regular routine.

The challenge ends on Dec. 4, but you will have until Dec. 11 to report the previous week’s steps. Log in to www.RiversideHealthcare.org/REACH on your desktop or mobile device to record your final activities.