It takes time and effort to take care of your body. No argument
here! But it’s incredibly important to find time to exercise. The benefits of
exercise are too important to ignore.
Yet most of us are too busy to even make time for what we WANT
to do, let alone find time to create new, healthy habits. It’s not exactly
relaxing to start a new exercise routine when you’re already exhausted from
work.
Thankfully, there are lots of ways to fit exercise in without
having to go to the gym every single day. Doing the same thing day in and day
out can get boring, and habits we find boring aren’t habits we’re likely to
keep up forever.
Here are six great ways to sneak exercise into your daily
routine. Each tip is tested for sustainability, and will make exercise a lot
more fun than those one-size-fits-all routines you’ve probably tried in the
past.
1.
Rethink your
seating. At your workplace, do you sit in a normal office chair? If so,
consider shifting to a standing desk, which exercises your leg muscles much
more actively than you would while sitting passively. Even sitting on an
exercise ball forces your core muscles to activate, helping your body exercise
to keep itself stable. It may not seem like much, but those efforts stack up to
greater muscular strength over time.
2.
Rethink your
commute. If you’re in a position where you can walk or bike to work, that
can be a start to your day that’s both active and relaxing. You’ll walk into the office centered from the
movement and time spent listening to your own thoughts. Even doing exercises
based around sitting can add up. Some shoulder flexion action during the morning
traffic jam can go a long way toward preventing stiffness and tightness in the
body.
3.
Do what you’re a
fan of. Love watching Dancing With
The Stars? Take up ballroom dancing or even Zumba. Building your dream team
during spring training? Try a few drills that the players are doing next time
you’re at the field. By building upon what you already love, you’re setting the
stage to have a lot more fun than doing exercise you “have” to do.
4.
Recruit your
friends. Ever hear the saying, “The more, the merrier?” It applies to
fitness, too! Grab a friend or two for a hike, jog, bike ride, or leisurely
stroll. You’ll find that the time flies – and you might even find yourself
looking forward to your next excursion!
5.
Don’t punish
yourself for low activity. The body adapts to activity levels, but it also
loves resting. Even if you just stretch your body during commercial breaks,
keeping your body from growing sedentary is a very good thing. So keep it going
to see benefits! You’ll never regret exercising, even if it feels like “not
enough.”
6.
Join a
competition. Do you consider yourself to be a competitive person? Then
joining a competition could be the perfect option for you! Even if you don’t
have the skills to compete in a league for your activity of choice, you can
still challenge your friends or yourself to up your game.
7. Hire me! It's easier and more affordable than you think! You have lots of options here, but one I have just started to offer is Online Personal Training. You can choose from 4, 8, or 12 workouts per month. The workouts will take you about 30 minutes to complete and minimal equipment is required - so no need to go to the gym! You can get it done in the privacy and comfort of your own home. I supply you with: 1) the workouts 2) sets/reps 3) video tutorials for each exercise 4) a free app to track everything INCLUDING progress 5) 1-on-1 online support when you need it ... and more. For more info, go here .
How do you make sure you get enough exercise? How do you make
your exercise work in your routine? Share your experience in the comments!
