Have you been feeling a little sluggish this winter? Do you have so much going on that you find it hard to get enough physical activity? Do you spend most of your day behind a desk? You don’t have to work out hard or long to get some benefit. Here are some quick and easy ideas to get more exercise during your day:
1. Take the stairs, not the elevator. Yes, blah blah, you've heard this one over and over again. Just do it. To make it a little more challenging, skip over every other step, go a little faster, take an extra lap up and down. But if you're accident prone, just do it the regular way. :-)
2. Take a walk during your lunch hour. Even if you have to dress up for work. Even if it’s cold outside. Bring the right shoes and coat, and off you go.
3. Take stretch breaks. None of us works every hour of the day. Instead of surfing the web or Facebook when you need a mental break, stretch at your desk.
4. Clean the house. You know you’ve been meaning to. If you’re strapped for time, pick one or two chores a day. Vacuuming, washing the floors, and scrubbing the shower all burn calories and build muscle. Same goes for shoveling the driveway and gardening. I know it's tedious but some upbeat music or chatting with a friend while you work might help.
5. Walk the dog. Did you get a dog thinking you’d be out walking at the park all the time, but lately Scruffy only gets to mosey himself around the fenced-in yard? You could both benefit from a 30 min walk.
6. Exercise during the commercial breaks. Can't bear to miss your favorite show? Planks, push ups, lunges, bicep curls, jumping jacks, or even stretching while you watch is better than sitting on the couch. Keep a small set of dumbbells in sight for a reminder. Tricep dips off the coffee table work too.
7. Go out and play.- with your kids, your friends, your partner. Anything that will get you moving- throwing frisbees or balls, playing tennis, shooting basketballs, skating, sledding, skiing, hiking, jumping rope, playing tag, biking, building a snowman. Lots of possibilities.
8. Dance party. Time required: 5-10 min. Location: Your living room or anywhere in your house. By yourself or with others. Students- great study break.
9. Wear a pedometer or other fitness tracking device. If you have a goal number of steps, you’ll definitely want to find ways to walk more.
10. Walk or bike to your destination when possible.
11. For parents with infants- baby work out. Do squats, lunges, shoulder presses, and abdominals while holding your child. Just don’t drop the kid.
12. Take advantage of little snippets of time. I like to do squats while I brush my teeth, push ups while I'm waiting for my food to heat up, abs while I'm waiting for the kid to get ready for school. All you need is 30 seconds to make your inactive time a little more active.
Share some of your ideas by commenting below!