Let’s not aim to move more (yawn) for 2023, let’s aim to move better.

Let’s get really smart with our movement and incorporate it into our daily routines.

I love to create goals, intentions and dream, both big and small when a new year comes around. For me it’s the time for some blue-sky thinking, free brain flow and a sense of freshness, newness and the dawning of a whole year’s worth of exciting opportunity!

This year is no exception as I look forward with a head full of ideas and plans spanning the 4 areas of my Desire Map:

·      Livelihood and Lifestyle

·      Body and Wellness

·      Creativity and Learning

·      Relationships and Society

I’m going to share my plan for Body and Wellness with you as it’s all about efficient, daily movement goals that you will be able to incorporate into your day just as easily as I can.

Here are the 10 things I pledge to do every day.

By the time you have tried all 10 you will see that you will have moved every joint, muscle and fascial chain throughout the entire body and not had to get changed, join an exercise class or use any kit!

Are you still with me? Good! Ok, here we go…

1.     Untuck your butt. Every time you’re standing in a queue check where your butts at, and gently back it up so your hip joints stack over your knees and ankles.

2.     Use the loo upstairs. Whether you’re at home or work, always use the loo that involves stairs.

3.     Whisk by hand. Eggs need beating? Sauce need stirring? Bread need kneading? Cake need churning? Be your own food processor and process by hand.

4.     Head ramp. Every time you’re in the car, back your head up with a little chin tuck so the back of your head lightly touches the head rest (back your head rest up too!)

5.     Floor sit. Every time you watch TV or use any screen, sit on the floor.

6.     Walk at least 20 minutes per day non-stop. Make this a non-negotiable, prioritised, ring fenced, highlighted entry in your diary.

7.     Take the stairs two at a time. Open up the hips and engage those glutes.

8.     Create a movement snack routine to break up hours of sitting. For every 30-60 minutes of sitting, move for 3 minutes. Try: 5 squats, 5 lateral lunges, 5 push ups, 5 side planks, 5 split squats. I’ve made a video of this, so you don’t even have to think what you’re doing, just follow me! Go here: https://youtu.be/fCS9w55Ekhg

9.     Every time you walk through a door frame, grab the top for 10 seconds and stretch, hang, swing, or whatever feels good

10.  Keep your favourite mug on the highest shelf, and your favourite snack on the lowest shelf – see what I’m doing here?

Sneaky 11. Join Womo Women’s Health course this January if you’d like me to be your health coach for 6 weeks to set you up for a lifetime of feeling better. In the words of a recent member ‘it’s transformational’.

Nothing too complicated or time consuming about these tasks is there? It’s just the gap from idea to action that might seem like a chasm! So make it easy for yourself. Pop a sticky note on your door frame, set an alarm on your computer, ask a friend to commit to a task with you, create a floor sitting nook, or pop a padlock on the downstairs loo!

Prepare to succeed! You’ve got this.

Happy New Year to you x

Emma Wightman

www.the-sop.com