Published by Wellness Whiskers Silverballs
You Don’t Have to Live at the Gym
If you’ve ever skipped a workout and thought the day was ruined, I’ve got good news.
Your body doesn’t care whether movement came from a treadmill, a vacuum cleaner, a pinball machine, or chasing a cat who stole your sock.
Movement is movement.
It all counts.
At Wellness Whiskers Silverballs, I call these moments Incidental Exercise Receipts because they’re proof that your body was working even when you weren’t “working out.”
As someone who has lost weight, improved my health, and completely changed my relationship with exercise after turning 50, I’ve learned something important:
Perfection isn’t required. Consistency is.
What Is Incidental Exercise?
Incidental exercise is physical activity that naturally happens throughout your day.
Scientists often refer to this as NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.
That includes all the calories you burn outside of intentional workouts.
Examples include:
Walking through Costco
Carrying groceries
Cleaning the house
Doing laundry
Gardening
Climbing stairs
Playing pinball
Washing the car
Chasing cats
Standing while cooking dinner
It may not feel like exercise…
But your body knows the difference between sitting and moving.
My Incidental Exercise Receipts
Around here, I like to keep receipts.
Some recent examples include:
Laundry Workout
50 minutes.
117 calories.
Laundry baskets don’t carry themselves.
Still counts.
Pinball League Night
Three hours of standing.
Walking between machines.
Squatting to look under playfields.
Thousands of steps.
Fitbit called it golf.
I call it movement.
Still counts.
Cat Chores
Scooping litter boxes.
Vacuuming fur.
Refilling fountains.
Moving food bins.
My five supervisors (the cats) would probably argue I should work faster.
Still counts.
Grocery Shopping
Walking every aisle.
Loading bags.
Returning the cart.
Carrying everything inside in one trip because we’re stubborn.
Still counts.
House Cleaning
Dusting.
Vacuuming.
Mopping.
Making beds.
Nobody celebrates cleaning day…
But your muscles are definitely invited.
Still counts.
Why It Matters
Research consistently shows that people who move throughout the day often experience benefits such as:
Burning more calories
Better blood sugar control
Improved heart health
Less stiffness
Better mobility
More energy
You don’t have to earn the title of “athlete.”
You just need to spend less time sitting.
My Favorite Motto
I don’t believe wellness should make people feel guilty.
Life happens.
Some days you hit Jazzercise.
Some days you go for a Starbucks walk.
Some days all you accomplish is keeping the house running.
Guess what?
That still counts.
How to Add More Incidental Exercise
Here are easy ways to sneak movement into your day:
• Park farther away.
• Take the stairs.
• Walk while talking on the phone.
• Fold laundry standing up.
• Carry groceries instead of using a cart for small trips.
• Pace during TV commercials.
• Walk one extra lap through the store.
• Play with your pets.
• Clean one room instead of scrolling social media.
Small moments add up.
The WWS Philosophy
You don’t have to be perfect.
You don’t have to exercise seven days a week.
You don’t have to look like an influencer.
You just have to keep moving.
Whether you’re walking for coffee, dancing at Jazzercise, playing pinball, cleaning the house, or chasing a mischievous cat…
Movement still counts.
And if nobody else gives you credit for it…
I will.
Still Counts. Always.❤️
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Starbucks Carrot Method – North Phoenix Walking Series