10 Ways to Incorporate More Exercise into Your Life
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, getting regular exercise is an important part of daily life. With countless health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing risks of heart disease, what’s not to love about being more active each day? Unfortunately, many of us can feel overwhelmed by life and responsibilities and may neglect to get the exercise we all need. If you’re searching for ways to incorporate more exercise into your life, keep reading.
- Jumpstart Your Morning: Yes, you might be tired in the morning but jumpstarting your day with a little physical activity is guaranteed to make you feel great. You don’t have to do anything major – think 10 to 15 minutes of activity. Include things like stretching, planks, pushups, sit-ups, lunges and wall sits. These are all fairly easy, quick exercises that make a big difference!
- Take the Stairs: It’s easy to hop on the escalator or elevator at the office or at the mall, especially when everyone else around you are doing it. Instead, skip the leisurely ride and take the stairs. It’s a simple, free way to get your heartrate up and sneak a little fitness into your day. Bonus points if you’ve got a heavy bag to carry for added resistance.
- Turn TV Time into Something More: It’s tempting to veg out on the couch after a long day and falling into the trap of being sedentary is far too easy. Try adding a little exercise into your TV watching routine to avoid becoming a couch potato. Try doing some light training during commercial breaks with hand weights. Better yet, set up a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike in your TV viewing area and get some cardio in while you watch your favorite programs.
- Take Advantage of Parking: We’re all guilty of scouring the parking lot for the closest space but try taking the opposite approach. Parking farther away not only eliminates the stress of battling for a spot, but also incorporates some much-needed walking into your day. Walking is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body, so seize the opportunity to sneak some in whenever you can.
- Walk While You Talk: Talking on the phone is typically seen as a stationary activity but try breaking the cycle! When you’re on the phone, get up and walk around. Mindlessly chatting on the phone and walking at the same time is a great way to add exercise into your day without even realizing you’re doing it. If you’re at the office and unable to leave your desk, try simply standing while you talk. Even standing for a minute or two is better than sitting for hours on end and can help your metabolism.
- Feel Like a Kid Again: If you have kids or nieces and nephews, don’t hesitate to jump in on play time. Kids have endless energy and imaginations and most of them love it when the adults get involved in their activities. Chase them around the playground, take them on a bike ride, kick or throw the ball around outside or just push them on the swings. These simple activities are good for the mind, body and soul.
- Boost Your Lunch Hour: If you work an office job where you sit at a desk for a majority of your day, it’s easy to become sedentary without even being aware of how much you’re sitting. Use your lunch hour to get out and walk, but make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes. If you only get a half hour for lunch bring something portable to munch on, like a protein shake or bar, and eat while you walk or eat after your walk.
- Dance More: Go out with friends and hit some dance clubs (easy on the alcohol!) or just pop on your favorite tunes while cleaning or cooking and bust a move. You can also look into taking a dance class, either by yourself or with friends. Dancing is a fun way to burn extra calories without feeling like your exercising. It’s guaranteed to boost your mood, too!
- Walk the Dog: Your dog will love it and your body will too. And I don’t mean just around the block. Take your dog on a long walk or to a local park and really make the most out of it. Walking is so good for our bodies and the health benefits are numerous. It helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improves circulation and joint health, and can lower stress and improve your mood just to name a few. So, not only are you spending more time with your fur-baby, you’re making sure you can keep spending time with them by improving your health.
- Give Back: If hitting the gym isn’t your idea of time well spent, or if you just want to give back, helping others can be a great way to get active. Reach out to local programs that can connect you with an elderly person who needs help with gardening or grocery shopping. Head to the local animal shelter and volunteer or take a dog who’s waiting for a home for a walk. Even doing things like helping a friend move or helping your neighbor bring something heavy up the stairs are good ways to burn calories while doing a good deed.
If you need help developing an exercise plan, contact me and I can help you out!