A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but when it comes to adding fitness to your daily routine, that single step feels like a thousand miles. For many people, the best way to introduce fitness into a daily routine is to add it without changing anything else about the routine. The natural effect of fitness is to change your body so that your body demands more and healthier activities, to the point where fitness is not a chore and not an option – it becomes pleasurable and desirable, more desirable than your previous unhealthy lifestyle.
Stretching is an activity that has immediate positive results on your body. Consistent stretching makes your muscles more supple, relieves stress, and improves your circulation. It may improve your ability to access your chi, to be able to access additional power throughout the day.
The easiest way to add stretching to your routine without changing your routine is to take a 10 or 15 minute period at night that you spend watching the news or some syndicated rerun or the late-night talk shows, and perform the simple stretch described below. This doesn’t take any time out of your routine, but the stretch will immediately improve the circulation to your legs, which has an electrifying effect throughout your body. After doing this consistently for a few days or weeks, your body will begin demanding that you improve its health, and you will find yourself unconsciously seeking to expand your stretching routine or add cardio exercise as your activity level seeks to improve.
The stretch you perform is to sit on the floor, extend your legs straight out in front of you, and spread them to the side in a V. That’s it. The stretch doesn’t have to be “as far as possible,” although it should be of some distance. Hold the stretch for 10 or 15 minutes. Seek to improve the distance of your stretch by 1 or 2 centimeters each night. Gradually add a forward bend, or a bend to each side, gently.
By doing this stretch during time each night that you aren’t doing anything anyway, you will change your body without conscious effort. Your body will then begin demanding that you add other routines, to continue to improve its health. And that is the start of the road to health and fitness.
ERIK CARTER has been weightlifting since high school and practicing karate since college. He maintains a fitness portal at http://fitnessportal.bravehost.com and promotes “Complete Sales Package For YOUR Success (http://salespackage.bravehost.com)” and “4 Steps To Success(http://4steps.bravehost.com),” 2 sites designed to help you start or expand any on-line business.
