Sneak Exercise into your Day
Less than ten percent of Americans meet the recommended guidelines for activity, exercise and movement provided by the American Heart Association. Yet, starting with one hour workouts can be overwhelming. Instead, you can try to sneak exercise into your day without making it overwhelming.
In this post, I will give you fifteen tips to sneak exercise into your day, even if you have little free time.
Schedule your Exercise
What doesn’t get scheduled simply doesn’t get done! When you put exercise in your schedule, you increase the chances that you get it done. Once you schedule that walk or fitness class into your day, you eliminate excuses that keep you from accomplishing it!
Take the Stairs
Little bouts of exercise like taking the stairs won’t turn you into Michael Phelps overnight, but it will help you add some movement to your day. If you climb up five to ten flights of stairs per day instead of taking the elevator, you can add 5 or 10 minutes of activity to your day without much extra effort.
Climbing stairs can build a strong and efficient heart as well as steady state cardio.
Walk Short Trips
You should aim to walk any small trips less than one mile from your house. Next time you drop your letters in the mailbox, pick up your kids on the bus or drop off a book at the library, try walking instead of driving. Getting an extra mile of walking in per day gets you half way to your goal of 30 minutes of moderate activity per day.
Get up Every Hour
While working from home at your desk, you can get up every hour and walk around your house. You could also perform a stretch or two or even do 50 mountain climbers beside your desk. If you get up and walk around or do something active every hour, you can accumulate 10 minutes of activity toward your daily goal.
Walk and Talk
Next time you need to vent your feelings with a friend or spouse, consider walking while you talk. If you go for a 10 minute walk while you talk, you can boost activity while solving your problems. The exercise, endorphins and time spent in nature might even boost your mood and problem solving skills.
Park Farther Away
The next time you go shopping, park far away from the entrance. You can easily get 500 to 1,000 extra steps in per day just by parking farther from the entrance. If you push a cart or carry bags, you can boost the activity level of your shopping experience.
Start your Day with 5 Minutes of Exercise
When your feet hit the ground in the morning, try 10 squats, 10 push ups and a 10 second plank. This type of workout will get you primed for a more active day. It will also get you motivated to get out of bed and tackle the day.
Try 3 Stretches Before Bed
Before bed, try calming your mind and body with three easy stretches. Try not to bounce. Simply hold a gentle stretch for 30-60 seconds. You could try a seated forward fold, child’s pose and frog pose to relax before bed.
Perform 30 Minutes of Cleaning Per Day
Vigorous cleaning can count towards your daily exercise total. Run the vacuum, dust or wash the kitchen floor for 10 or 30 minutes per day. Or, pick up clutter and put things back where they go for ten minutes per day. Not only will you get some activity, but you will clean up your home and feel more relaxed in a cleaner environment.
Try a Short YouTube Workout
I have a lot of short, ten minute workouts on my YouTube page that can help you get some great exercise in a short time frame. If you don’t like my videos, I am sure you can find some great workouts you can do quickly and easily.
Try a Walk on Your Lunch Break
You can go for a simple 10 minute walk on your lunch break to help break up the day and get some exercise in. Plus, that break will help you boost productivity when you do get back to work.
Work in your Garden for 30 Minutes
Thirty minutes of vigorous gardening can help you burn calories and burn some fitness. Try pushing a heavy wheelbarrow or picking up bags of mulch to add a strengthening component to your next lawn care day. Plus, you will end up with a nice, tidy front yard!
Try 10 Squats During TV Commercials
Next time you sit down to watch TV, aim to do 10 squats during the TV commercial breaks. Over a typical TV series, you have worked up a sweat and gotten some leg and butt training in too.
Play an Active Game
Instead of playing cards or monopoly with your kids, why not try a physically active game like tag? You will bond with your kids, work up a sweat and model good physical activity.
Play with a Pet
You can play with your cat or take your dog for a walk. Even throwing a ball around for your dog or chasing your cat with a laser pointer can easily add up throughout the day to help you get some extra exercise.
Sneak Exercise into your Day
You can easily sneak some more exercise into your day with these simple tips. Once you start one or two of these tips, you can easily build momentum for longer workouts and better fitness habits.
Please let me know how you like these tips in the comment section below.
