Dr. Xabier Granja is an Associate Professor of Spanish whose research explores Early Modern Spanish literature, personal identities, and the cultural dynamics of historical texts. Read how he stays active and reaches his monthly step goals:
What helped you stay consistent with your steps this month?
What helped me stay consistent this month is having more daylight and ever so slightly warmer temperatures. I unfortunately am very affected by SAD, which drains my energy, so it takes a lot of effort to stay healthy. Just a few degrees of extra warmth make it more likely I’ll get out walking and biking, which in turn means I get more sunlight, which makes me happier, and do more exercise… it’s a virtuous cycle.
What does a typical day of movement look like for you?
I try to walk 7000 steps every day, but that’s not always possible. On days that I’m glued to a computer grading, doing research, or administrative duties, I try to sneak in at least a 30-minute bike ride around my neighborhood.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t feel like getting your steps in?
Habit makes things easier to do when you don’t feel like it. If I run out of time one day to do something active and it’s dark, so I no longer want to be walking outside, I’ll put a 1h episode of something on TV and just walk around the room while I watch it. You can easily get 3000 steps walking around the house while watching TV.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started?
Just keep in mind that movement is what your body is built for. Using your body will make you feel better, it’s not a mystery, or a what if – it will happen. So, knowing that you’ll feel better afterwards is a powerful motivator to get moving, even when you don’t feel like it.