Lesson 1

Friday, March 10, 2017, 8:05 pm EST
 
Shown below is Lesson 1 of 9. Please keep in mind these lessons are primarily written for the people living in the USA, so others should think of different appropriate activities that would be relevant.
 
People living in the Blue Zone don't exercise by going to the gym, but they have active lifestyle.
 
Lesson 1 is more like the Gujarati kahewat (saying) "Pahelu sukh te jate narya" (first happiness is your own health).
 
LESSON ONE STRATEGIES
To get moving in your Blue Zone, try some of these tips.
 
Inconvenience Yourself
By making life a little tougher, you can easily add more activity to your days. Little things, like getting up to change the channel or taking the stairs, can add up to a more active lifestyle. Get rid of as many of the following as possible: TV remote control, garage door opener, electric can opener, electric blender, snow blower, and power lawn mower. Be ready to use as many of these as possible: bicycle, comfortable walking shoes, rake, broom, snow shovel.
 
Have Fun, Keep Moving
Make a list of physical activities you enjoy. Rather than exercising for the sake of exercising, make your lifestyle active. Ride a bicycle instead of driving. Walk to the store. At work, take a walking break instead of a coffee and donut break. Build activity into your routine and lifestyle. Do what you enjoy. Forget the gym if you don’t like it — you’re not likely to go there if it’s a chore. Don’t force yourself to do things you dislike.
 
Walk
This is the one activity that all successful centenarians did — and do — almost daily. It’s free, easier on the joints than running, always accessible, invites company, and if you’re walking briskly, may have the same cardiovascular benefits as running. After a hard day, a walk can relieve stress; after a meal, it can aid digestion.
 
Make a Date
Getting out and about can be more fun with other people. Make a list of people to walk with; combining walking and socializing may be the best strategy for setting yourself up for the habit. Knowing someone else is counting on you may motivate you to keep a walking date. A good place to start is to think, whose company do I enjoy? Who do I like to spend time with? Who has about the same level of physical ability?
 
Plant a Garden
Working in a garden requires frequent, low-intensity, full-range-of-motion activity. You dig to plant, bend to weed, and carry to harvest. Gardening can relieve stress. And you emerge from the season with fresh vegetables — a Blue Zones trifecta!
 
Enroll in a Yoga Class
Be sure to practice it at least twice weekly.