The human body was designed to move, although the rapid progression of technology has gradually diminished our involvement in physical activities. We have arrived at a daily routine that hardly involves any physical activity. Our grandparents and their parents embraced constant movement walking for exercise and all daily activities with minimal use of cars as we know them now. Physical labor was not an option. Even if they didn’t realize, their daily routines were forms of regular exercise. Today most activities requiring physical labor have been facilitated by some form of automation relegating a lot of us to jobs that do not require us to move as our ancestors did.

Proof that the human body was designed to move, are the consequences of not moving – chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disorders, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, the list is endless. On the other hand, there are great number of benefits in keeping moving every day. Being physically active improves your brain health, helps managing weight, reduces the risk of chronic disease, strengthen bones and muscles, improves immune function, mood, energy levels and promotes better sleep. This list is not exhaustive, but the key as our bodies were designed to do. Additionally, the presence of more than 600 muscles in the human body unequivocally underlines its potential for extraordinary physical capabilities. On top of that, the human body to work at its best and to ensure the normal function and development of most of its systems, needs to be exposed to physical activity. For this reason, regular physical activity is essential and indispensable for everyone. Fun/ugly fact: Luxembourg is the most sedentary European country where people spend on average 12 hours a day seated. This underlines the importance of finding strategies to become more active. What do you have to do?

t’s simple: you have to embrace movement during your day and sit less. This can mean leaving the car further away from your work, taking the stairs, go for a walk during your lunch hour, get up to drink water, when moving around walk or cycle from one place to another, taking public transports, standing when making a phone call, taking a break every 30 mins to stretch and move, bring your children to the park and play with them, gardening, playing music while doing the housework and dancing while cleaning etc. These are just a few examples of how you can incorporate physical activity into your routine, but there are many other options. You must find the ones that suit you best and are easiest to stick to and be consistent with. Develop the practice of engaging in daily movement, as even small increments of activity contribute to enhancing your health and well- being.