Non-Volitional Exercise and Lifestyle Activity

Non-volitional exercise can be described as physical activity that exercises the body but is not consciously performed with the intention of exercising. Lifestyle activities such as walking instead of driving, recreation activities like gardening or swimming, and jobs that require physical labor can all be considered non-volitional exercise. With technology and machines to provide transportation and do more of the labor required for survival, the lifestyles of many people have become more sedentary, leading to obesity and other health issues.

  1. Non-Volitional Cardio to Maintain Health

    • With an active lifestyle, you can meet minimum cardiovascular exercise recommendations for health without going to the gym. The American Heart Association recommends at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity cardio or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous cardio every week. Regularly walking, running or biking small distances is healthier than driving for both your body and the environment. Recreational activities like dancing, swimming, skating and other repetitive motions that increase the body’s oxygen intake are also cardiovascular exercise.

    Cardio While You Work

    • Some jobs do provide cardio exercise. Cooks, food servers, cleaning people and others who are constantly on their feet and moving about can easily meet their minimum recommendations for cardio exercise at work. However, over 50 percent of U.S. employees do their work sitting in front of a computer, and that trend is increasing, according to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. Long hours of sitting have been shown to cause severe health problems -- increased risk of death from heart disease and cancer, increased body fat on the stomach and more, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you must sit all day for your job, allow yourself at least a 10-minute break every hour to walk and stretch.

    All Shook Up

    • Those fidgety people who were considered a problem in school will have a health advantage as adults if they still can’t sit still. A famous example is Elvis Presley, who wowed audiences with the nervous twitch in his left leg. Until his later years, his high metabolism, non-volitional fidgeting and energetic dancing allowed him to stay slim despite his high-fat, high-calorie diet. If he had combined his natural energy with a healthy diet and lifestyle, he might still be singing for us today.

    Activities That Will Make You Stronger

    • Lifting, pushing and pulling stress the muscles, causing them to degrade and then rebuild newer and larger. Yard work, cabinetry, gardening and rowing are examples of activities that can build muscle and strengthen bones and joints. Some jobs that can strengthen muscles are construction work, mail delivery, and grocery stocking. Depending on work or other non-volitional exercise to strengthen your body might keep some muscles strong, but not others. If your lifestyle doesn’t include full-body non-volitional strength exercise, add strength-training activity that exercises your neglected muscles to improve your overall health and fitness.