Mindful Movement Mindful Living

Movement, Mindfulness, Nature and Nourishment

Mindful Movement

Staying Active while Staying Home

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While it may seem like a paradox to use the phrases “staying active” and “staying home” together, I assure you that they can co-exist and you can stay active at home! Yes, life can be so busy and stressful that making time to be active or exercise may feel impossible. However, I have one easy and essential tip to follow that will make it simple to achieve: take short but frequent movement breaks.

What is a movement break?

A movement break is any active movement that we perform while taking a break from our work or other daily tasks. It can consist of formal exercises, but it can also be as simple as taking a short walk or walking up and down the stairs a few times. A favorite movement break at my house is to just put on some fun music and dance!

Here is another movement break that I like to do for balance (it only takes a few minutes and does not require any exercise equipment!)

How long is a movement break?

A movement break can last for any amount of time that we can be active. It can be as short as one minute – we can all find sixty seconds to move! Any amount of time is beneficial, so we do not have to wait until we have a large block of free time. If that large block of free time never appears in our schedule, we can still feel good knowing that we took a few shorter breaks.

In fact, even if we have already found a longer time slot to exercise every day, it is still so important to take movement breaks throughout the day. For example, a 3 mile walk or run every morning is a long stretch of activity; however, it does not mean that we should spend the rest of our day sitting at a computer. Whether or not we already have a longer workout in our schedule, we still need periodic movement breaks.

This is another short sequence that I often do to focus on the muscles of the core and hips:

What are the benefits of a movement break?

Depending on the type of movement we are doing, a movement break can help us with strength, flexibility, balance and/or cardiovascular fitness. In addition, any break in our day can help us to reduce stress, improve circulation and increase our ability to focus. These benefits not only help us with our health and wellness, but they also help us to perform the other tasks on our to-do list more efficiently (I love a task that helps us accomplish more than one goal!)

Here is another of my favorite movement breaks to be more active at home:

We can gain so much benefit from moving more often in a way that is simple and easy. There is no need to wait until we have a lot of time or are ready for an intense workout. Whenever we have time for a small break, we can sneak in some extra movement in a way that works for us – it is something we can feel better about immediately.

I am so thankful for this online community where we can inspire each other to move more and live mindfully. And now, after typing this post, I am ready for a movement break! 🙂

Natural Movement Hacks for the Holidays

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The holiday season can be full of wonder and joy, but it can also be BUSY! To maintain healthy habits when I am short on time, natural movement hacks are essential for me during the holidays. Personally, I just finished a long session of wrapping gifts, so I was reminded to share one of my most useful hacks for this time of year. This hack is so simple that it almost seems silly to write about but it is so helpful that I must highlight its value. My natural movement hack today was to SIT ON THE FLOOR INSTEAD OF A CHAIR.

Reasons to Sit on the Floor (a.k.a. Avoid the Chair!)

  1. More Movement – The floor is farther away, so there is no way to get there (and back up!) without moving more. When we sit in a chair, we are only going about halfway down.
  2. Variety of Movement – While there are technically several ways we can sit in a chair, most of us default to the standard way of sitting in a chair. This offers us minimal variety in our movement. When we sit on the floor, we have lots of options for seated positions – the floor is sort of like a blank canvas for movement!
  3. Frequency of Movement – Again, we tend to maintain the same position when we are in a chair, especially if it is a comfortable one. On the floor, our body will naturally urge us to shift positions much more frequently. All of these shifts in position equal more frequency of movement, which is great for our bodies!
  4. You don’t even need to sit on the floor to get a benefit. If sitting on the floor doesn’t work for you, just choosing something other than a chair to sit on (such as a bolster, pillow, or small ottoman) works, too. You are still adding variety and more range to your movement.

You can check out my video below for more on this topic (and to see my gift wrap station on the floor:

Of course, my favorite thing about this natural movement hack for the holidays is that it is simple and takes no time at all! Happy Holidays!

Minimal Shoes for Natural Movement

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Do you want to improve your alignment while walking or running but aren’t sure which shoes are best? Minimal shoes can help us move in a more natural, aligned and mindful way. I have several favorite minimal shoes for natural movement for spring and summer to share with you!

How to Choose a Shoe:

To help choose a shoe, I have four main criteria.

Minimal Shoe Criteria

  1. Wide Toe Box

    Our toes need plenty of room to move and should not be squished!

  2. Attached Heel

    An enclosed heel or shoe that attaches at the heel (unlike a flip-flop) ensures that the foot is not working in an unnatural way just to stay inside the shoe.

  3. Zero Drop

    The heel is not higher than the toes.

  4. Thin, Flexible Sole

    The sole should allow our foot to be mobile and feel the ground.

Check out my YouTube Channel video regarding my shoe choices for spring and summer!

What do I wear?

Personally, I use these criteria whenever I am purchasing shoes for myself or my children. However, this is NOT a universal list that is best for everyone. I am comfortable wearing minimal shoes because I spend a lot of time barefoot. Both at home and in the classes I teach, I regularly work on strength and mobility in my feet. If this is a dramatic change for you, a more gradual approach to adjusting your footwear may be best. When transitioning to a minimal shoe, it is important not to overdo it – our body needs time to adapt. (If you are wondering how to do this, I will be including some exercises to help with foot strength and mobility in upcoming posts!)

Where to Shop:

Minimal shoes for natural movement are not always easy to find, but there are some great choices out there! Most of the time, I order my shoes online because it is easier to find shoes to fit these four criteria. (Also, I don’t really like shopping!) Some of my favorite brands include Vivobarefoot, Vibram and Unshoes, and I am including links to the shoes mentioned in my video below. (I am either including the link to the exact shoe or the closest I can find online.)

I wish you a happy season full of mindful movement!