Make your day harder! I love that slogan when it comes to everyday exercise.
And I do it. I lift weights waiting for the bathroom in a busy house. I run around campus between buildings and the parking lot. I don’t go so far as doing squats, burpees, and lunges while the microwave does its job, or the kettle gets ready to boil, but I admire those who do.
I’ve also incorporated it into my house design, by not making changes. There’s no second story laundry. Instead hampers of clothes get carried down to the basement and back up again.
I also aim to get lots of movement when I travel. I don’t use a suitcase with wheels. Instead, I carry a back pack. Mostly I avoid moving sidewalks. I’m glad they’re there for people with mobility issues and that’s not me. I often take the stairs instead of standing on the escalator. And usually I reach the top first.
The back pack helps. No dragging the wheeled suitcase up the steps.
I’ve written a bit more this here.
There’s one airport though where I do use the escalator. Canadians, can you guess?
I’m just back from the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association. This year it was held in Washington, DC and I flew Porter out of Toronto.
Billy Bishop Airport, I love you. But those steep stairs, not so much. Even the escalator is a bit daunting.
Photos from the Ports Toronto website. Available for download here.
How about you? Brave enough to face these stairs? (I’m not yet) What other strategies do you use while travelling to get some exercise?
This is a great post and also great video. One of my two resolutions this year (the other one is to train to get back into cycling shape) is to walk or bike or take public transport every chance I get. The two main commitments are 1) time; and 2) planning. And it’s really about planning, as in Boston, it is often about as easy and quick to bus/subway/walk/bike places as it is to drive/find parking. But it does require some strategic planning. On Saturday, I went to the symphony with friends and had dinner before. I picked a restaurant in Cambridge where it was easy for me to get there via bus/walking (and friends drove to subway station w pkg garage and took the T) and then we could take another bus to symphony hall. This worked really well for all of us. One has to be a little bit creative, but that’s okay.
I wrote a post awhile back about the bikes in the Philadelphia airport. Check it out here onegirlbreathing.com/2014/11/airport-blinders
I want to try those stairs!
I do Aikido stretches and balancing exercises while waiting at the gate. And nothing like a few cancelled/rebooked flights to get in that long power hike! (Newark airport – never again.)
Yes! I always take the stairs at airports (carrying a duffel). And you usually beat the crowd that way too!