Editor’s note: For the past six months, Dr. Susan Bane of Greenville has been exploring the topic of “Healthy Selfishness.” To see previous columns, click on the following links: Column 1, column 2, column 3, column 4, column 5 and column 6 part 1.

Researchers have spent years trying to understand why humans behave the way we do. We know what is good for us, but we don’t often do what we need to, even when we really want to do it. But research has shown that with knowledge, motivation and a plan, we are much more likely to achieve our goals.

So let’s talk about how moving more can happen with a little planning.

Start by writing down SMART goals for our exercise and eating habits (SMART = specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). Then write down the obstacles keeping you from meeting these goals and finally, what steps you are going to take to achieve your goals.

Here is an example:

Goal: Exercise 30 minutes most days of the week.

Barrier or Obstacle: Time

Plan: Keep tennis shoes in the car

Move More

“Eat Smart, Move More” is the North Carolina initiative designed to help promote a healthy lifestyle for all of us. So let’s talk about how moving more can happen with a little planning.

Moving more includes both exercising and increasing one’s physical activity. Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by the contraction of muscles that increases energy expenditure, including housework, yard work and taking the stairs. Exercise is planned, structured, bodily movement done to improve or maintain one’s physical fitness. So, going to the gym to “work out” is both exercise and physical activity, whereas working in the yard or vacuuming the carpet is physical activity (unless you are my sister Christy who vacuums so much it can be considered exercise for her!).

Keep a pair of tennis shoes in your car and if you have some downtime while you are running errands or waiting on children, take a walk. Instead of sitting on the bleachers while your kids are warming up for their game, take a walk around the field. If you see me walking at a game, come join me.

If you have young children who watch crazy kid shows like Barney or The Wiggles, dance along with the show. No, it is not aerobics at a gym, but it counts just the same. Your kids will love it too.

Watch your favorite sitcom at night and use hand held weights and body bands to do strength and stretching exercises.

If you are sedentary or simply hate to exercise (work out, do planned activity), start off by trying to move more throughout your day: take the stairs, park farther away, walk as much as possible running errands, weed the garden, mop the floor, etc. Once you do that then more structured exercise can be your next goal.

Dr. Susan Bane of Greenville is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and a professor at Barton College.