“One is better than none”. It’s a little motto I chant to myself to give me a little encouragement to get moving.  It means doing one small exercise is better than none at all. One small amount of exercise is one step forward to staying happy and healthy.

 

I started repeating the phrase to myself when I had a newborn baby. I didn’t have the time to attend exercise classes, nor the energy for a 45 minute workout. No word of a lie, I used to do a couple of squats while rocking my baby back to sleep at 2am. The stillness of 2am provided a moment to myself and doing one squat was better than none.

 

Four years later I still use the motto reminding myself to keep moving. Especially during those weeks where nothing seems to go to plan and my trip to the studio gets rescheduled. I remind myself one is better than none, so I add a couple of squats while folding the washing, a couple of leg clam shells while playing with the kids on the floor, a couple of ballet lunges in the middle of the kitchen while I cook.

 

Perhaps next time you stand up from your chair, stand up and sit down 3 times. That’s three extra squats in your day! Next time you wash your hands at the sink, try 3 push up on the bench.

 

Of course we still need to aim for 30 minutes of exercise each day that raises our heart rate. But why not add small incidental moments of exercise into your day? Not just for fitness but to send a surge of happy hormones racing around your body.

 

You could use this motto in relation to exercise or adapt it to any other factor of your life. Why not try the mindset of:

 

  • One healthier meal this week is better than no healthy meals
  • One extra glass of water is always better
  • One small moment of meditation is better than none
  • Three deep breaths is better than none

 

One is better than none. Your little efforts of exercise throughout the day will accumulate and you’ll feel happier and healthier. Be sure to do your one extra movement with a smile and feel warm love for yourself.

 

Melinda Barre Instructor at Inna Essence

 

Thank you to Melinda for this article. Melinda is a mother of two young boys, and teaches barre at Inna Essence