© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

22 tips for 2022: You don't need an intense workout. Small moves make a difference

Shannon Wright for NPR

Making exercise a daily habit can feel daunting if it feels like it counts only when you go all in. Instead, remember that every small movement counts.

Simple actions like standing up at your desk for part of the day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and throwing out the trash can make a difference for your overall health.

If you want to start building up to a routine, try doing a minute of situps, pushups or squats at the end of each hour — it will add up! "Even one minute — that's all it really takes to get the blood flowing and get you outside of the work frame of mind and feeling good," says Salina Duggan, a Seattle-based personal trainer.

You don't have to be a marathoner or a gym rat to get meaningful health benefits from exercise. Remember, when you go for a 10-minute walk, you're still lapping the version of you that didn't go at all.


Here's more on how to start exercising and how to start a home exercise routine.

22 tips for 2022 is edited and curated by Dalia Mortada, Arielle Retting, Janet W. Lee, Beck Harlan, Beth Donovan and Meghan Keane. This tip comes from episodes of Life Kit hosted by Maria Godoy and produced by Sylvie Douglis and Chloee Weiner.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Maria Godoy is a senior science and health editor and correspondent with NPR News. Her reporting can be heard across NPR's news shows and podcasts. She is also one of the hosts of NPR's Life Kit.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content