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11 Sneaky Ways to Get More Movement Into Your Day

Let’s be honest, we don’t all love exercise. For some of us, the idea of going out for a run, or an early morning boot camp is enough to make us break out into a cold sweat.

But the fact is, movement is good. There’s a huge myth that exercise has to be long, intensive cardio for it to be worthwhile. But that’s just not true. Often it can do more harm than good exercising in this way – not to mention the increased risk of injury. If you don’t enjoy the exercise you’re doing, is it really going to benefit you as much as working out in a way you love? The stress from long intensive cardio, particularly if you hate it, could do you serious harm. Especially if you’re regularly forfeiting an hour of sleep most nights to fit it in.

If you love running on a treadmill in the gym – good on you – but for those of us who don’t, how about getting your fitness in another way? A way you might actually love?

Here are some alternative ways to get some exercise in – without stepping foot in a gym:

Dance

There aren’t many things more fun than dancing – whether you’re out with friends, taking a dance class, or just dancing in the privacy of your living room.

Yoga

Yoga is so easy to start, whether following online at home or joining a class. Wherever you live, there’s bound to be one nearby.

Walking

Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this! Whether it’s walking for a purpose or just to explore your local area.

Playing video games

Seriously! Of course, I mean an active video game, like Wii Fit or Just Dance.

Playing with the kids

Pretend you’re the same age – it’ll keep you young, and they’ll love it!

Martial arts

Have you ever tried karate or judo? A lot of fun – and a valuable skill too.

Garden

Maybe this is the year to sort your garden out, with a proper veggie patch and some light landscaping? I love dual-purpose exercise like this – the treadmill doesn’t reward you with home-grown veg, does it?

Clean

Not the most fun, I admit, but cleaning your house is a great workout – and has the side benefit of making everything sparkly and shiny.

Volunteer

Wherever you live, you can guarantee there will be some volunteer schemes nearby. Maybe it’s looking after the local park or beach, or helping at an animal shelter – give it a try!

Get a dog

Well, you should probably have more reasons than just the exercise benefit – but what better way to move than with your canine best friend?

Dust your bike down

Cycling is such a low-impact, fun way to get out. Put a basket on the front and who needs the car next time you go grocery shopping?

Why Non-Gym Exercise Might Be the Best Kind

Not everyone thrives on structured workouts or time spent in a gym. For many, the idea of squeezing into workout clothes and heading to a class or bootcamp can be a huge turnoff. That’s where sneaky, everyday movement really shines. It’s not just effective — it’s actually enjoyable.

Incorporating fun ways to exercise into your daily life helps make movement feel like second nature. Whether it’s dancing in the lounge room, playing tag with the kids, or working up a sweat in the garden, you’re still reaping the physical and mental benefits of staying active.

This style of movement also supports the Paleo philosophy — living in a way that aligns more closely with how our ancestors lived. They weren’t doing spin classes at 6am — they were walking, carrying things, climbing, squatting, playing and moving in all kinds of natural ways throughout the day.

Movement doesn’t have to be long, intense, or punishing to be effective. What matters most is consistency and enjoyment. When you move in a way that makes you feel good, you’re far more likely to stick with it long term.

So next time you’re dreading the idea of “working out,” think about how you can simply move more. Your body doesn’t care if it’s a treadmill or a game of backyard cricket — it just wants to move.

Break Movement Into Micro Workouts

You don’t need a full hour carved out of your day to benefit from exercise. In fact, breaking activity into small chunks — known as micro workouts — can be incredibly effective. A few sets of bodyweight squats while the kettle boils, lunges while brushing your teeth, or a one-minute plank before you jump in the shower can all add up. These quick bursts are particularly useful for building strength, balance and flexibility without needing to change clothes or leave the house.

If you work from home, set a timer to remind you to stand and stretch or do a few jumping jacks every 30 to 60 minutes. Not only does this help maintain circulation and posture, but it also boosts productivity and focus. Movement doesn’t have to be scheduled — it just needs to happen.

Use the Environment Around You

Nature is the original gym, and it’s completely free. Use a park bench for step-ups, tree branches for pull-ups (if you’re able), or a rock or log for weighted squats. Uneven terrain like hills, sand, or forest trails naturally challenges your balance and engages more muscles than flat, indoor surfaces. If you’ve got a beach, national park, or hiking trail nearby, make the most of it.

Even the stairs in your home or office can become a training tool — walking or jogging up and down them a few times a day quickly adds intensity to your daily routine. Look for everyday obstacles and turn them into opportunities to move.

Social Movement Matters Too

Exercise is more enjoyable — and easier to stick to — when it’s social. Think about how you can involve your partner, kids, or friends. Regular walks with a friend are great for accountability and conversation. Family bike rides, weekend hikes, or even a backyard game of footy can strengthen your relationships as well as your muscles.

For those who struggle with motivation, finding a movement buddy can be the secret weapon. It’s harder to bail on a morning walk when someone is waiting for you. Group dog walks, community yoga in the park, or a neighbourhood walking group can all help turn movement into a shared ritual.

Incorporate Play and Curiosity

Play isn’t just for kids — in fact, adults benefit enormously from playful, exploratory movement. Activities like hula hooping, skipping, balancing on rails, or trying to climb trees may sound silly at first, but they reconnect you with movement for the joy of it. And when exercise feels like fun instead of a chore, it becomes something you look forward to.

Consider trying something totally new that challenges your body and mind. That might be bouldering, paddleboarding, slacklining, or even circus arts. It doesn’t have to be competitive or intense — the goal is to move with curiosity and without judgement.

Build Functional Strength in Everyday Tasks

Functional movement is all about mimicking the types of actions you need in everyday life — bending, reaching, lifting, pushing, and pulling. Many of these movements already exist in your routine — you just need to be intentional with them. For example, when you pick something up off the floor, turn it into a proper squat or deadlift. When you're carrying groceries, engage your core and treat it like farmer's carries.

Housework, gardening, DIY projects and even lifting a toddler are all opportunities to move with awareness and improve your functional strength. Approach these everyday activities like a workout and you’ll soon notice the difference in how your body feels.

Track Progress Without Obsessing

While non-gym movement is wonderfully free and flexible, it can be motivating to track your progress in simple ways. This could be a checklist of daily activities (e.g. walked 8,000+ steps, did 10 squats while cooking, danced for 10 minutes), a whiteboard of weekly goals, or using a basic pedometer or smartwatch. Keep it light and pressure-free — the aim is to stay consistent, not perfect.

Celebrating small wins is key. Maybe you walked every day this week, or played footy with your kids twice — acknowledge it! Movement should be something you feel proud of, not punished by.

Make Movement Part of Your Paleo Life

If you're already committed to eating in a way that supports your body naturally, it makes sense to apply the same logic to how you move. The goal isn’t to punish your body with endless reps and sprints — it’s to nourish it with intentional, joyful, and sustainable movement. Just like with food, the best exercise is the one that feels good and suits your lifestyle.

From a gentle walk on the beach at sunrise to dancing in your kitchen while dinner cooks, movement can be woven throughout your day in ways that energise, uplift and support long-term health. It doesn’t need to involve gym memberships, Lycra, or strict regimens — just a willingness to move a little more, in whatever way feels right for you.

Time to get healthy paleo rock bottom over indulged Christmas lose weight-min

Is It Time to Get Healthy?

Post Christmas is a popular time to readdress your goals. Perhaps you got a bit carried away with the festivities and have realised you are carrying more weight than is healthy? Or perhaps you have a few health issues that you want to concentrate on, and resolve once and for all? Now is the perfect time to get healthy!

It starts with food

Diet is a great place to start. Instead of waiting until all if the festive food has been eaten (we've all done that!) why not just throw it away – or give it to someone who will appreciate it? Your health will thank you!

Once you've cleared out all the not-exactly-paleo food – it's time for the good food! Make a list, plan out your meals for the next week and go and get some good wholesome paleo foods.

I like to make up big batches of dishes like soups and curries. It's great to freeze them in small portions, making it super easy to get healthy meals, quickly.

What about lifestyle?

Lifestyle is a huge health factor! In fact, I'd argue that even with a perfect diet unless you have got the lifestyle factors right it's almost impossible to get healthy.

How's your sleep?

Have late nights and difficult mornings started to creep in? Are you getting enough sleep? This is a great time to work out how much sleep your body needs – and how you're going to get it.

Connection

Another huge factor – do you have enough time in your life for your friends and family? Do you have enough time to relax and just be? If not – what can you change to create more balance in your life?

Get healthy with fitness

This is another important factor. Do you lift heart things and get in the occasional sprint? Being fitter seems to go hand in hand with overall health and well being. You don't have to start big – try walking more.

Start the Year with Clear Intentions

The post-Christmas period is the perfect opportunity to realign your goals and prioritise your wellbeing. With the distractions of the holidays behind you, this is a valuable time to reflect, reset, and commit to nourishing habits that will carry you through the months ahead. Whether you're starting from scratch or getting back on track, taking the first step is often the hardest — but also the most empowering.

Write Down Your Why

Before diving into a new regime, take a few moments to write down your reasons for wanting to make a change. Is it to improve your energy levels? Lose weight for good? Manage stress? Reduce chronic pain? Increase confidence? Being clear about your ‘why' will keep you anchored when motivation inevitably fluctuates. Stick that reason somewhere visible — your fridge door, bathroom mirror, or inside your journal — and refer to it often.

Set Achievable Milestones

Rather than jumping straight into an extreme overhaul, aim for realistic changes that feel doable. For instance:

Commit to eating a home-cooked paleo meal five days this week
Switch your afternoon snack from processed food to fruit and nuts
Add one extra hour of sleep by adjusting your evening routine
Replace one coffee a day with water or herbal tea

These micro-goals can create big results when they become regular habits. Once you’re consistent with one change, build on it. Progress is far more sustainable this way.

Build a Supportive Environment

Your surroundings can either support or sabotage your health goals. Take a look at your kitchen, home, and digital environment. Do they make it easy to stay on track?

Remove tempting foods that don't align with your goals
Stock the fridge: Have chopped veggies, boiled eggs, and cooked proteins ready to go
Use digital tools: Set up calendar reminders for workouts, meal prep, or even just to stretch
Limit distractions: Unfollow social media accounts that make you feel pressured or guilty, and instead follow ones that inspire and educate you

Create a Morning Routine That Works for You

How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it. Creating a morning routine can give you structure and intention. This doesn’t have to mean a 5am workout or an hour of meditation. It could be as simple as drinking a glass of water, stepping outside for a few deep breaths, or doing five minutes of gentle stretching. The key is consistency and creating rituals that serve you.

Focus on Gut Health and Digestion

Your digestive system is at the core of your health, both physically and mentally. If you've over-indulged on rich or sugary foods over the holidays, you may notice bloating, fatigue, or even mood swings. Now is the time to support your gut with nourishing, fibre-rich foods like:

Bone broth
Fermented vegetables (like sauerkraut and kimchi)
Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables
Prebiotic foods like garlic, leeks, and onions

Avoiding inflammatory triggers such as gluten, seed oils, and processed sugar can also help reset your digestive health. Listen to your body and note how it responds when you remove certain foods and reintroduce others.

Hydration Is a Non-Negotiable

After a festive season filled with indulgence and possibly more alcohol than usual, many people find themselves dehydrated. This impacts everything from your metabolism and digestion to your skin and energy levels. Start the day with a big glass of water, and aim to drink regularly throughout the day. Herbal teas, coconut water, and water-rich foods like cucumber and watermelon can also help with hydration.

Movement Should Be Enjoyable

If the thought of going to a gym fills you with dread, don't do it! Find a way to move your body that actually brings you joy. This could be dancing to your favourite music in the lounge room, swimming at the beach, or hiking with a friend. The best type of exercise is the one you’ll actually stick to. Even ten minutes a day is a great place to start.

Reduce Stress Where You Can

Chronic stress is one of the biggest roadblocks to good health. It affects your sleep, weight, digestion, immune system, and even your ability to make decisions. While some stress is unavoidable, learning to manage it better is crucial. Some simple ideas include:

Daily walks in nature
Breathing exercises or short meditations
Journaling at the end of the day to clear your mind
Creating a wind-down ritual before bed

Even something as small as lighting a candle and sipping herbal tea can signal to your nervous system that it’s time to slow down.

Reflect, Don’t Punish

Lastly, it’s important to approach this new chapter with kindness. The goal isn’t to punish yourself for holiday indulgences or past choices, but to gently guide yourself back into alignment with the way you want to feel. Progress is not linear, and perfection is never the goal — consistency and compassion are. If you slip up, just begin again. No shame, no guilt, just a chance to learn what works better for you next time.

What Does Your Ideal Healthy Life Look Like?

Take a few minutes to visualise what your healthiest self would look like. How do you feel when you wake up? What’s your energy like throughout the day? What foods are you eating? What do your relationships and downtime look like? This mental image can help you stay on track when things get challenging. Whenever you feel lost or unmotivated, come back to that vision and remember what you're working towards.

You’ve Got This

This is your chance to create a version of your life that feels energising, sustainable, and true to who you are. You don’t need to be perfect — just committed to showing up for yourself, one small choice at a time.

I'd love to hear what your health focus is this season. Have you set any new intentions? What will your first steps be?

Why You Should Add High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) To Your Workout

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What exactly is high intensity interval training?

High intensity interval training (HIIT) has become a bit of a buzz word in the Paleo community, but what is it? HIIT is a series of short high intensity workout intervals combined with short “recovery” intervals.

Instead of spending hours on the treadmill, a HIIT is far shorter, consisting of short bursts of very strenuous workout, broken up with recovery intervals. You might sprint for a minute as fast as possible, then recover for two minutes several times.

What are the benefits of HIIT?

1. You can burn far more fat in HIIT. After you complete a high intensity workout, your body burns more fat than if you were to run for 30 minutes at a steady pace.

2. You push your heart and make it stronger because you are making it go to a limit that it won’t go to if you remain doing low intensity workouts.

3. You will lose fat, not muscle.

4. You can do it anywhere. You don’t need a gym with lots of equipment. You can just go outside and run.

5. It’s challenging. This is something you need to set aside time to do. You cannot relax and watch a movie or read a book while you try to do a few sit-ups. This requires your focus and commitment which will result you feeling better and help you to obtain good results.

Of course, it is important to not over do it. When you engage in high intensity interval training it may be tempting to keep pushing yourself until you are working out for an hour or more and doing more intensity intervals than recovery intervals.

The conventional wisdom workouts, where people spend hours on a treadmill or cross trainer are “chronic cardio”, which is not the key to fitness that it might seem. Chronic cardio can result in muscular fatigue, oxidative stress and a stress generally on the body.

Crossfit incorporates HIIT in it’s WOD’s (workout of the day), this makes up just a small part of a class – and the actual activities making up the HIIT element are always varied.

How to Structure a HIIT Workout

If you're new to high intensity interval training, getting started can feel overwhelming. But HIIT doesn't need to be complicated. The key is to alternate between periods of near-maximum effort and periods of rest or low activity. For example, a beginner’s HIIT session might involve 30 seconds of jumping jacks, followed by 90 seconds of walking in place, repeated for 15 to 20 minutes. As your fitness improves, you can shorten your recovery time or increase the intensity of your work intervals.

The classic HIIT ratio is 2:1 — for instance, 40 seconds of high intensity followed by 20 seconds of recovery. However, this can be adjusted depending on your current fitness level and goals. Some people thrive on Tabata-style routines (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off), while others prefer longer sprints with equal recovery.

HIIT Workouts You Can Do Without Equipment

One of the major perks of HIIT is that it doesn’t require a gym membership or expensive equipment. Here are a few simple HIIT circuits you can do using just your bodyweight:

Workout 1: Full Body Burn
30 seconds squats, 30 seconds rest
30 seconds push-ups, 30 seconds rest
30 seconds burpees, 30 seconds rest
30 seconds mountain climbers, 30 seconds rest
Repeat for 3–4 rounds
Workout 2: Cardio Boost
45 seconds jumping jacks, 15 seconds rest
45 seconds high knees, 15 seconds rest
45 seconds butt kicks, 15 seconds rest
45 seconds skater jumps, 15 seconds rest
Repeat for 3–5 rounds

Always warm up for at least 5 minutes before beginning, and finish with a cool down and some stretching to support recovery and prevent injury.

Adapting HIIT to the Paleo Lifestyle

If you follow a Paleo lifestyle, you’ll appreciate how well HIIT aligns with our ancestral movement patterns. Our ancestors didn’t jog at a steady pace for hours on end — they sprinted to hunt, climbed, jumped and lifted. HIIT mimics this natural activity rhythm, making it one of the most congruent modern training styles with evolutionary fitness.

Pairing HIIT with a nutrient-dense, whole foods-based diet supports energy, performance, and recovery. Ensure you’re getting enough quality carbohydrates like sweet potatoes or fruit, especially on HIIT days, to support glycogen replenishment. Post-workout meals with protein and healthy fats are also crucial for muscle repair and hormone regulation.

HIIT for Busy Schedules

For many people, one of the biggest obstacles to consistent fitness is time. HIIT solves this problem by delivering excellent results in a fraction of the time. A typical HIIT session can be completed in 20 minutes or less, making it perfect for lunch breaks or mornings before work.

Even 10-minute HIIT sessions can be highly effective when done with proper intensity. Studies have shown that brief, intense workouts can boost metabolism, increase fat oxidation, and improve cardiovascular health. It’s not about duration — it’s about effort.

Precautions and Who Should Avoid HIIT

While HIIT is safe and effective for many people, it's not suitable for everyone. Those with heart conditions, injuries, or severe mobility issues should consult a health professional before starting. It’s also important to listen to your body and prioritise proper form over speed.

If you’re just starting out, begin with a lower-intensity version and slowly build up. Rest is just as important as the active intervals — skipping recovery can lead to overtraining and increased cortisol levels, undermining your progress. Balance your week with lower-intensity activities like walking, stretching, or yoga.

Combining HIIT With Other Forms of Exercise

HIIT doesn't need to be your only form of movement. It works well in combination with other types of training, especially strength training. Resistance workouts build lean muscle, while HIIT keeps your metabolism elevated and supports cardiovascular health. Together, they make for a balanced, powerful fitness routine.

Some people also enjoy combining HIIT with recreational activities like hiking, dancing, or martial arts to keep things fun and prevent burnout. Variety helps prevent plateaus and keeps you mentally engaged.

The Mental Benefits of HIIT

Besides the physical advantages, HIIT can also offer impressive mental benefits. The sense of accomplishment after completing a tough interval session can be a powerful mood booster. It’s a great way to relieve stress, boost self-confidence, and improve focus.

High intensity training also encourages discipline and mental resilience. Each session requires you to push past discomfort and stay focused — a skill that translates into other areas of life, from work to relationships to managing stress.

Tracking Progress and Staying Motivated

Tracking your performance can be a great way to stay motivated. Note your number of rounds, reps, or work/rest times and aim to improve over time. You can also use a heart rate monitor to ensure you're reaching a high enough intensity zone during your sessions.

If motivation tends to wane, try working out with a partner or joining a small class. Group environments add an element of accountability and make sessions more enjoyable. You might also find inspiration by setting goals, such as improving your 100m sprint time or mastering a new movement like box jumps or tuck jumps.

Final Thoughts

High intensity interval training is an incredibly effective, efficient, and Paleo-friendly way to improve your fitness, burn fat, and boost overall wellbeing. It doesn’t require fancy equipment, hours of your day, or a gym membership — just commitment, effort, and consistency. Whether you’re new to fitness or looking to shake up your routine, adding HIIT could be just the spark your body needs.

Ready to give it a go? Start simple, progress gradually, and let your own strength surprise you. You’ve got this!

Do you do HIIT? I’d love to hear how you workout, add your comment, below!

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