Book Excerpt - Healing Moves

It doesn't take rocket science to conclude that we expend less energy now than did our grandparents, who had to chop wood and fetch water to survive. In fact, some experts say we expend up to 700 fewer calories per day than our parents did-that's the equivalent of three glazed donuts!

In our book, "Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise," (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2001), we urge people to drop their "push button" mentality in favor of a "bottoms up" approach to life. Moving as much as possible throughout the day is one of the best, most practical ways to use physical activity to enhance health-and can provide health benefits similar to a traditional, gym-based workout.

This is good news for people who say they don't have time to exercise. Although many people think exercise is an "either-or" phenomenon--where you either go to the gym and workout for 30 minutes, or you do nothing-that's not true. Every step you take counts!

So try activating your life with these easy strategies:

1. Don't use the nearest bathroom. Use one that requires you to walk a bit, preferably up or down a flight or two of stairs.
2. Balance on one foot while you're brushing your teeth. Balance on the other foot while you're combing your hair.
3. Park in the furthest space.
4. Play actively with your kids. Strap on a pair of in-line skates, join in their karate class, get off your bench and swing, climb, hang, slide.
5. Hide your TV remote. Get up and walk across the room when you want to change the channel, increase the volume or turn the TV on or off.
6. Never take the elevator when you're going fewer than 3 flights, take the stairs.
7. Get rid of your electric can opener and use a manual one.
8. Turn your coffee break into a walk break. Walk to a distant vending machine, cafeteria or coffee shop to get your snack rather than use the closest one.
9. Stretch or walk while you're talking on the (cordless) phone.
10. Set an "activity" timer or program your computer to remind you to take brief walking and/or stretching breaks periodically.
11. Wait actively. If you're forced to wait for an airplane, hairdresser, dentist, doctor, restaurant table, etc., take a walk.
12. Walk or bike to do errands instead of driving.
13. Take a minute to stretch your arms, legs, back, shoulders and neck whenever you get up from sitting or lying down.
14. Sweep your floors, patio and/or front walk every day.
15. During TV commercials, get up and walk or get down and stretch.
16. Socialize actively. Instead of sitting and talking with friends and/or family, try walking and talking. Or go bowling, play Ping-Pong, basketball, bocce ball or line dancing.
17. Put your favorite mug on a very low shelf, so you'll have to squat down to get it out and put it back.
18. Take your dog for a walk every day. If you don't have a dog, borrow your neighbor's, or just walk your "inner dog."
19. Practice "aerobic shopping" by taking a lap around the mall or grocery store before you go into a store or put an item in your cart.
20. Avoid "drive throughs." Park your car and walk in.
21. Practice good posture when you're forced to wait in line. Stand firmly on both feet and try to raise the top of your head to touch an imaginary hand held a quarter-inch above you. Let your spine extend, stomach lift, shoulders relax and arms fall at your sides.
22. Don't automatically drive. If the cleaners is across the parking lot from the bank, walk there. (Wear decent walking shoes or keep a good pair in your car.)
23. Install a chin-up bar in a convenient doorway, then use it often to chin-up, pull-up or simply hang.
24. Try musical housework. Put on dancing music and sweep, vacuum or wash windows to the beat.
25. Every time you hear a bell ring (phone bell, doorbell, church bell, etc.) take a deep breath and smile. Think of it as "mouth yoga" that relaxes hundreds of muscles in your face. And it's contagious, so pass it on.