Finding time to exercise might not be easy when it comes to finding time to exercise. Here are some recommendations I make to my physical therapy patients… and how I manage to stay on the move.
I understand. “Who has time to workout when you’re a…” we’ve all remarked.
Working parents, night shift workers, entrepreneurs, students, commuters, or parents who stay at home to raise children can all fit in this category. You’re not alone in your struggle to incorporate exercise into your schedule.
1. Use the stairwell
I understand. This is extremely dull, and you’ve probably heard it a million times before. It is, nonetheless, one of the best suggestions for a reason.
Taking the stairs rather than the elevator raises your heart rate, improves balance, and strengthens your lower extremities. You can also perform some heel lifts off the edge of a step for calf strength or ascend the stairs two times if you’re feeling cheeky and have a few minutes.
Your body and heart will appreciate you if you avoid taking the elevator.
2. Include walking meetings in your meetings.
Schedule a walk during one call every day if you work from home or have switched to virtual conference calls.
Plugin your headphones, put your phone in your pocket and go on a stroll to fix the world’s issues if you don’t need to be staring at a screen looking at spreadsheets. It’s an excellent method to add variety to your routine.
Take your one-on-one meetings with you if you work in an office. Walking as a group improves team cohesion and may even lead to better ideas.
3. Take it up a notch.
I do this a lot, and it occasionally gets me odd glances, but hey, I’m a busy lady, and my time is valuable!
Try walking lunges down the grocery aisles while holding on to the cart when you’re out shopping. The cart provides a decent balance point, and depending on how long your supermarket’s aisles are, you can make roughly 10–20 lunges in a single pass. Go for it; it’s a lot of fun!
4. Take a seat on a fitness ball.
Substitute a stability ball for your workplace chair. This can help with back discomfort and improve posture, and you can do some gentle mobility exercises for your neck, pelvis, and spine while sitting on the ball.
To assist activate your core stabilizers, try hula-hooping and tucking and untucking your pelvis. You can also practice seated marches or other exercises on the ball while sitting at your desk if you want to do some abdominal work.
5. Leave plenty of space between you and the car.
While we must remain secure and aware of our surroundings, try parking further away from the entrance of wherever you’re going if you’re in a safe and well-lit neighborhood.
Adding a few minutes of walking time here and there builds up over time and can help you get more steps throughout your day!
6. Increase the amount of sex you have
You are, indeed, welcome. According to previous studies, sex burns roughly 3.1 calories per minute for women and 4.2 calories per minute for males.
So, while it’s not the same as a furious jog, you can break a sweat while having sex. While moving more, have fun, try new postures and methods, and bond with your partner.
7. Adopt a pet
Volunteers are constantly needed at our local shelter and other adoption agencies. Bring the whole family to the rescue and volunteer to walk a few dogs.
You get to spend more time outside, help a dog and your neighborhood, teach your children about compassion, and spend valuable family time being active and exercising your body. It’s a win-win-win situation for everyone involved.
8. Throw a dance-off
Remove all of the furnishings from the room and play some music. This can be done while cooking, folding laundry, or vacuuming.
Get shakin’ with some ACDC (or whatever makes you tap your feet). Dancing is a great method to burn calories and improve your balance and coordination simultaneously. You can even turn it into a game or a competition with your children. Isn’t it true that they need to learn about 80s rock?
9. Make your gaming night a little more interesting.
Swap out cards and board games for active games during your next family game night.
To help you remember, here is a list: Hide-and-seek, scavenger hunts, Twister, frozen dance, potato sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, hopscotch, jump rope, hula hoop contests, limbo… Games that you used to like as a youngster are still enjoyable today.
These types of games may be played with individuals of any age, and they can be played both inside and outside. Playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Freeze Frame Dance Party with my family is fun, and we’re all hot and exhausted afterward.
10. Exercise or stretch during TV time
I realize this goes against all of the “binge and relax” ideas, but bear with me. During your next Netflix binge, walk on the treadmill, ride a stationary bike, stretch on the floor, lift weights for upper- and full-body strength, or perform Pilates.
If you move during a 30-minute concert, that’s 30 minutes of exercise you didn’t get previously! If that sounds like a decent place to start, you can even limit it to when the advertisements come on.
Keep your exercise equipment close to your “binge-watching” spot, and do some bodyweight exercises or foam rolling while you’re watching.
Arm strength, posture, and well-being may improve with only a few reps of bicep curls, tricep presses, or arm raises using modest hand weights.
This is particularly true for women, who are more susceptible to osteoporosis. Weight exercise should be a part of your daily regimen to maintain your bones healthy and strong.
Last but not least
I hope these suggestions stimulate and inspire you to get up and exercise more during the day.
I understand how tough it is to stick to a schedule. It might be intimidating when you first start exercising but attempting a couple of these things can help.
Start with a few lunges here and there, a weekly walking meetup, or a few trips up and down the stairs, and before you know it, you’ll be moving and groovin’ much more than before.
Let us know in the comments how do you feel about being more active?
