Have you been to the gym lately? That is a question I am coming to dislike. For starters, though I do occasionally go to the gym, for me it is a huge effort and not one I usually enjoy. I feel better after I do it, but I keep thinking that you should not have to go to a special place, or pay money, to get (or keep) in shape.
My favorite silly “gym story” dates back to when I still lived in Detroit. My husband and I joined our first gym – Vic Tanny. Does anyone remember that name? Anyway, it was cold and my husband drove around and around the Vic Tanny parking lot looking for a close parking space. Finally, a light bulb went off in my brain…..we were there to increase our activity! What was he thinking?? I reminded him that the reason we were there in the first place was to go in and walk. A few extra steps in the parking lot would not hurt us. They would be a benefit! Well one benefit is from that day forward I have made it my habit to park far away from store entrances, just for the extra steps.
So my first message about exercise is that “every little bit counts.”
I am a firm believer in actively seeking extra activity throughout my day. It takes some active thinking to accomplish this, but it helps to eliminate the need to carve out a specific amount of time or space to “get fit.” You just have to build your “fitness” into your everyday routine.
The problem, and it is a BIG problem, is that modern society has disincentivized physical activity. Now I will be the first to admit that I am not throwing out my laundry machine or my dishwasher. So increasing the daily activity within my daily routine might look different for me than for you. But my point is this….Actively think about how to increase activity in your own normal daily routine.
For example, think about escalators or elevators. They are everywhere and usually the first choice of most people. If you want to be healthy, make them the choice of last resort. Of course, sometimes stairs are not even an option. That is what I mean when I say some societal norms are harmful. Whenever, my husband and I are in an airport, we try to take the stairs. Often we are the only ones using them, while the crowds pass us by on the escalators. It is the same with the moving walkways. But when we get to the gate, we have spent more calories and conditioned our muscles, just as if whe had been at the gym!
So America….. do your own shopping! Carry your own groceries! Do your own yard work. Rake your own leaves and shovel your own snow. But if none of those things fit into your lifestyle, then ride a stationaary bike while binge streaming. Or develop a 3 minute exercise routine to do during commercial breaks. Pushups, sit-ups, and stretching is great activity for commercial breaks. It is far better than heading to the refrigerator.
My point: be mindful here in 2026 of ways to build activity into your normal routine. By doing so you can recapture some of that lost energy we all complain about missing as we get older. I am sure you will have ideas on how to regain vitality by doing MORE in your own everyday routine.
I would love to hear about changes you have made! Just send your ideas to Smalltowndoctormom.com. I am always looking for ways to stay healthy.