Are you looking for an easy, fun way to move more? Awesome! Get up and move with me for 5 minutes every 45 minutes, all day, EVERY day, with my #fivein45 challenge!
What’s the Five in 45 Challenge to Move More?
Five in 45 is a challenge I created to encourage everyone, from 5 to 105, to move more each day by setting a timer whenever you’re awake, to alert you to get up every 45 minutes for a 5-minute “movement break.”
5 “Move More” Health Benefits
If you need a reason to move more throughout the day, here are 5 Move More health benefits :
- More energy throughout the day.
- Better focus.
- Increased flexibility, less joint pain.
- Better blood sugar control, decreased insulin resistance.
- Helps you to achieve & maintain a health weight.
How does the Five in 45 Challenge Work?
- It’s easy as 1-2-3! Set your first alarm/timer for 45 minutes when you wake up in the morning.
- When 45 minutes is up, set your timer for 5 minutes and get up and move (if you’re sitting) or do some sort of activity for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, reset your timer for another 45 minutes, and do it all over again as long as you are awake. See how easy it is???
How can I make my Five in 45 breaks even better?
Great question! I highly recommend pairing your Five in 45 breaks with another healthy habit. For instance, I want to drink more water, so every time my 45-minute timer goes off, I have a drink of water. It’s incredible how helpful it is to “pair” or “stack” habits together as a way of not forgetting them.
Other examples. One of my 20 for 2020 goals is to do more strength training, so sometimes I lift weights or do other strength training exercises during my breaks. Or, because I also want to work on my flexibility, I’ll do a quick yoga sequence or some stretching.
Bottom line: I highly suggest pairing your Five in 45 breaks with one or more other healthy habits you’d like to accomplish. It’s a win, win!
What equipment do I need for Five in 45?
All you need is a timer and yourself! I use the built-in timer on my Apple Watch, but you can use any timer you like. If you’re good about keeping your mobile phone with you at all times (not me!), use that timer.
Or, maybe you have a Fitbit or another fitness tracker? How about a stopwatch? It can be any watch with a built-in timer function. If you don’t have any of these, here are two small, portable timer options I found on Amazon: 60-Minute Timer on a Rope, Chef’s Digital Timer & Stopwatch Clock. No excuses not to join the fun!
Five in 45 Move More Challenge: FAQ
Of course! There will be plenty of times you can’t get up and move. Maybe you’re in a meeting at work or in a class at school. Or, perhaps you’re driving or on an airplane. Or, you might even be sick (I just got over the flu and was lucky to even get 600 steps over three days!).
Need to skip a Five in 45 round? That’s ok. Reset your timer and start another round as soon as possible. If you miss a couple of rounds, try extending your movement phase to 10 minutes if you can. #fivein45 is not an all-or-nothing challenge. Try and move as many times as possible throughout the day, and I promise you’ll be moving a lot more this year than you did last year. YOU CAN START THE FIVE IN 45 CHALLENGE ANY DAY OF THE YEAR!!!
Heck no! Although cold or not, I highly recommend getting outside for some of your Five in 45 breaks whenever possible. However, there are many ways to move more indoors.
Lately, I’ve been starting my mornings by doing the stairs in my house for my first Five in 45 break. It’s a great way to get my heart rate up first thing in the morning, and I typically get 500 steps on my five-minute break. It’s such an exhilarating way to start the day!
Nope. While I’m admittedly obsessed with the step tracker on my Apple Watch, Five in 45 isn’t a step competition. There are many ways you can “move,” that don’t include taking steps. (See ideas below.)
Of course, you’re more than welcome to track your steps if you find it motivates you to move more. I know it sure encourages me!
Sure thing! While it’s essential to make your Five in 45 breaks your own, here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Walk or run inside or outside.
2. Lift weights, do sit-ups, or do a quick yoga sequence.
3. Do a quick workout with a fitness app.
4. Talk on the phone to a friend while pacing.
5. Do some chores: fold/put away clothes, vacuum, de-clutter. 6. Play! Have a snowball fight, play fetch or tug-of-war with your pup, have a dance party for one!
There are so many great ways to move more. Share your ideas in the comments!
Great question! While researchers have debunked this claim, that’s not to say that the negative health consequences of sitting too much aren’t real.
Recent research in the American Journal of Public Health suggests excessive sitting (more than 8 hours per day) increases the risk of premature death and some chronic diseases, primarily type II diabetes (almost double the risk), by 10-20%.
In addition, excess sitting is inversely related to depression, so add mood-boosting benefits as another reason to move more every day!
Leave a comment at the bottom of this post, or send me an email!
How do I join the Five in 45 Challenge? Sign me up!!!
Awesome! Once you have your timer, you can get started any time. It’s free!!! And, since we are ALL here to support each other, share your “move more” moments on social media with the hashtag #fivein45. And, be sure to tag me @thespicyrd, so I see your posts! Let’s all move more for optimal health and longevity!!!
