What’s Your Best Advice for Moving More?

Carrie Havranek
Carrie Havranek
Carrie Havranek is a food and travel writer living in Easton, Pennsylvania. She’s a part-time baker who goes out of her way for farmers markets and yoga. Find her work in Edible Philly, Frommer’s, and on her blog The Dharma Kitchen.
updated May 1, 2019
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(Image credit: Catherine & Michael Frawley)

I’m not much for resolutions; they feel so inflexible and absolute, but also splashy and public. They’re not much my style. I’m more about setting intentions, which feels more introspective and personal.

But a micro-resolution? That’s something approachable and sustainable. I can definitely get behind the idea that small changes can yield some significant, palpable results. And this year, I want to move more.

I have a dedicated yoga practice — I attend class several times a week, and I often wind down the day with a few poses or at least a stretch or two — but as a freelancer who works from home, I sit a good portion of the day. Or I’m in the kitchen, working on recipes. And lately, I’ve been having some issues with falling asleep. A big part of my goal to move more is to ensure I’m sufficiently tired at night so I can get a better night’s sleep.

Moving more might mean dance parties after dinner with my kids. Or perhaps we’ll end up ice skating on the weekends. Most likely, it will entail a lot of walking. I especially love walking in the winter. There’s something invigorating about bundling up, moving the body, and generating some internal heat by breathing in cold air. It’s a burst of clarity.

And it’s in keeping with my feelings about exercise. For me, exercise is not about keeping track of calories or getting myself to a certain heart rate. I find that obsessing over stats distracts me from listening to what my body is trying to communicate. For me, moving is as much about the psychological benefits as the physical.

Walking is also blissfully simple — and that simplicity is something I crave in January after the complexities and excesses of the holidays. You can do it anywhere and at almost any time. It requires no gym membership and very little equipment. Sometimes the only clothing I change is my shoes.

Speaking of which — as soon as I finish writing this, I’m going to lace up my sneakers and steal a quick 20 minutes in the bright, blinding sun.

What about you, readers? How will you move more in 2016?

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