Utah Kick off your summer with little steps to make big gains!

Each Spring the American Heart Association|American Stroke Association challenges its employees to get active with a variety of activities.

If there is one thing I struggle with it is finding that daily motivation to get moving. Working for a national health organization you would think that being physically active and eating right would be second nature by this point – but it’s not. It is still difficult to find time to do what I know I should be doing. Between work, kids, family, scouts, and other demands for my time it is hard to find time just for me. 

That is why I appreciated some of the resources that the AHA|ASA shared with is this year. As part of their “Healthy For Good” campaign, they gave us a list of daily tips to help us move more. With it, they reminded us that while not everyone has time to spend an hour at the gym, each of us can take little steps here and there that will make for big gains in the future. Here are a list of some of my favorite tips they shared to get us #HeartwalkingUT:

1. Park and go – rather than find the closest parking spot possible, take one of the empty ones a little farther away to get a few more steps in.
2. Wear what you’ve got – no one wants to walk around with pit stains in the office. But being physically active doesn’t always require that you work up a stream of sweat! Move enough to get you active – while keeping your armpits sweat-free :)
3. Take the Stairs – Tired of waiting for the elevator to hit every floor before it finally makes it to you? Spend that time taking the stairs instead. Chances are you’ll actually get their sooner than if you’d waited!
4. Go mobile – Catching up on phone calls or stuck on a conference call? Get up from the desk and take the call with you while you walk around the block. Bonus tip: Take a small trash bag with you and pick up some litter while you’re walking.
5. Fitness first – Shake up your family’s after-school/after-work routine. Join your kids for a bike ride or shoot some hoops before starting on homework and chores. You’ll all feel better and think better!
6. Put a little green on your thumb – The weather is starting to warm up (with the occasional snow storm – this is Utah after all)! Take some time to mow the lawn, plant a few flowers, or even *gasp* pull a few weeds!
7. Be an active parent – Experts say that what kids want more than anything else is time with their parents. To give them that, don’t just send them out to play – go play with them!

Have your own #HeartwalkingUT tips that you’d like to share? Send us an e-mail or tag us on social media with your favorite activities for staying active! After all, “You’re the Cure” for heart disease and stroke.