Many people avoid even hearing the word “exercise” because they associate it with discomfort.
Only a few few love and appreciate it, and these folks reap all the rewards. It’s a common excuse to avoid exercise by saying “I don’t have the time”. Well, you have time for exactly the things you want in your life, so if you really want it, here are some easy and quick ways to sneak it in!
Get Up Before Everyone Else
Maybe you’re self-conscious, maybe you just don’t want little ones under your feet. However, if you can drag yourself out of bed a few minutes before everyone else, you’ll not only have some quiet time to yourself, but you’ll also have time to get things done.
Exercise While Cleaning
You’re doing it wrong if you don’t consider cleaning to be physical activity. Extra exercise can be achieved by attempting the following:
- Do 10 squats or put the basket down and lift it up again before you put it down.
- Window cleaning with one hand!
- Make use of a deck scrub brush and give the kitchen floor a good scrubbing before mopping. If you’re not exhausted after that, I’d love for you to mop my floors.
- Try timing yourself as you conduct your duties to see how quickly you can do them.
Exercise on Your Lunch Break
Lunchtime exercise can enable you to establish a better attitude towards your work-life balance. By incorporating physical activity into the lunch hour, you can create a habit that helps you maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium.
It can also be a little lonely at the office when you’re inside day after day! Especially in the spring! Why not ask some co-workers if they want to walk with you? It’s a great way to get to know people and your all benefit from the walking. If you prefer to walk alone, grab some music and get busy moving!
A noon workout is a great way to break up a long workweek with something that will make you feel good in between. Your mind and body will be challenged in a new way during your “worthwhile time-out,” and you’ll be able to return to work feeling revitalised and ready to take advantage of the many productive ways in which exercise may affect your mood and state of mind.
Use Your Natural Environment
You don’t have to join a gym to get in extra exercise. Take the stairs, or better yet, RUN up the steps. Leave your car a little further away from the mall’s entrances. Maintain an upright posture and push your cart as little as possible. Do a bicep curl every time you put a can in the shopping cart. Use gallons of milk to create curls. Time how long it takes you to get in and out of the store and how long it takes you to load the items into the car. You can do chin-ups and pull-ups from tree branches or stroll back and forth across ditches.
Play With Yours Kids or Pets
Everyone in your home deserves more outside time, including kids and pets. We are attached to electronics these days. Take your kids to the park and push them on a swing. Play tag. Race each other. Throw the ball for your pet and run away from them. Take them for a walk or jog! It doesn’t take much to get physical with some little or furry partners!
Exercise While You Watch TV
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but exercise during commercial breaks. Stand up and do leg kicks or march in place while you watch. If you can do an exercise video, you can do the same stuff while watching TV. If you want to make it harder, get the kids involved. Leg lifts are a lot tougher with a 20 lbs toddler sitting on your feet, and it’s fun for them too!
If you want to work in some extra exercise while watching TV, lunges are a fantastic choice. If you want to work those thighs and leg muscles while watching TV, try doing a few sets of rapid lunges (sometimes called “lateral lunges”) around the living room during each commercial break.
Read also: Easy Fitness Hacks That Make Exercise More Simple
Yardwork
Mowing, raking, painting, lifting and dragging dead branches around, hand trimming bushes, gardening, digging…do I need to say more?
Make an Outdoor Date
My husband and I love to hike! I haven’t been able to do it recently because of my fitness level, but we LOVE going to our local state parks, and hiking their trails. We always pack a picnic, leave it in the car, and know that when we’re finished, we’ll have a nice healthy lunch waiting on us. It’s a great cheap way to explore your state, and everyone in the family can be involved!
You can also go swimming, canoeing, play a sport, toss a frisbee, hula hoop, ride bikes, go horseback riding, sailing, learn Parkour and the list goes on and on!
Use Your Phone to Your Advantage
If you’re having a conversation, get up and go for a walk. Answering a text message, 10 jumping jacks. Goofing off on social media, walk on a treadmill or do sit ups. It’s a great way to form a new habit, and maybe just make you get off that phone a little bit!
Get a Fitbit!
I 100% absolutely adore my Fitbit. If you need encouragement to get moving, there is nothing like the challenges with other Fitbit users to get your butt out of your seat and moving! I like to do at least 2 challenges a week, 1 with people who are on or near my level and 1 with a ton of people who kick my tail every week. One gives me the challenge, and one gives me a challenge to prepare for in the future! It’s fun, you can easily encourage each other, and there might be a little light hearted trash talk from time to time!
I hope these tips encourage you to get up and get moving! It’s a great time of the year to start a new habit!
Do you have any tips to add to the list?