When we were getting ready to move, I didn’t do my regular exercise routine much. I was busy packing up boxes, moving a load at a time to the new house, and by the end of the day I was exhausted. Despite being “too busy to exercise” I still lost weight. I didn’t cut back on my calories, but I did what I call, natural exercise.

My definition of natural exercise is exercise that you can do during a normal day that isn’t going to a gym or doing an exercise routine. What this looked like while we were moving was standing most of the day, lifting heavy boxes, and going up and down the stairs.

In this world we live in, it’s easy to sit all day. We can sit at the computer and TV for hours at a time. We sit in our cars for long drives. So, if you find yourself sitting for a while get up and do some natural exercise.

Play outside with your kids. My kids love going to the park. It’s very easy for me to sit on the park bench and read my book while they are occupied playing. The better choice would be playing with them. Crawl through the tunnels, go down the slides, or play a game of tag. This is all great natural exercise and gives your kids some quality time.

Clean the house. Do you ever feel tired out after mopping the floors in your house? That’s because you’re getting your natural exercise. Vacuuming, sweeping, and scrubbing a tub are all going to burn more calories than sitting on the couch. What needs to get cleaned today?

Work in the yard. Working in the yard is really hard work. You are definitely going to burn calories when you mow(the push kind), rake, or work in the garden. Plus it’s always great to get some fresh air and Vitamin D.

Getting from point A to point B. We have many options of how to get places. Instead of driving to the destination that’s less than a few miles away, ride your bike or walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

All these little movements in your day add up. How are you going to get natural exercise today?

Weight last week: 163 pounds

Weight this week: 162 pounds

Total weight loss this year : 22 pounds