Fitting in fitness isn't that difficult. You can get up and move almost anywhere, at any time, to be more physically active and healthy. Every minute counts toward the goal of at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. Every time you get up and accomplish something, you're taking a step forward.
When it comes to making time for exercise, it might be difficult. Here are some pointers that I provide to my physical therapy patients... and how I manage to stay active.
Fill in the blanks: working parent, night shift worker, entrepreneur, student, commuter, or parent who stays at home to keep children alive. You're not alone in your struggle to incorporate exercise into your day.
To keep your body moving, try including a few extra exercises throughout the day and week. Just a few minutes of extra activity here and there adds up over time.
Get the whole family moving more at home
Finding ways to be more active around the house will help you remain on top of chores and provide a positive example for your children. Exercise may be combined with other activities such as watching TV, cleaning, or cooking.
Make a list of active chores. Each day, have each family member choose a card with a different active activity that has to be completed. Cleaning up after dinner, walking the dog, putting out the trash, folding clothes, and unloading the dishwasher are all wonderful ways to get your family off the sofa and into the kitchen.
Make some room, turn on some music, and go for a dance! It may rev up a study session, a leisurely Sunday, or a game night. Allow everyone to take turns as DJ so that everyone's favorite songs are played.
Place a grip on the screens. Instead of immediately turning on the TV or playing video games after dinner, make it a family activity time. Take a stroll, participate in a sport, or play hide-and-seek.
Tune in to fitness while watching TV. While watching your favorite shows, walk or jog in place or on a treadmill, lift weights, or practice yoga. Break up a TV marathon with some action in between shows. Or compete to see who can perform the most burpees, push-ups, or jumping jacks during commercials.
Change up the routine for your family. Before starting on homework and housework, go on a bike ride or shoot some hoops with your kids. You'll all feel and think better as a result.
Actively interact with your pets. Toss a ball or a stick for the dog to retrieve. Conduct a string chase around the house with the cat.
Include energetic games like Twister, charades, and hide-and-seek in family game night.
Keep a list of kid-friendly activities on available for case your child complains, "I'm bored."
Choose items that stimulate physical activity for your children, such as balls, skateboards, hula hoops, and jump ropes.
Keep exercise equipment conveniently accessible for a short workout.
Instead of watching TV for companionship or background noise, listen to music that motivates you to get up and move.
Take your workout outside if you enjoy the wonderful outdoors
Because being outside makes exercise feel more like play, you may enjoy it more and continue with it. Dress in layers to prepare for temperature and weather fluctuations. Don't forget to bring hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
Take a stroll or ride your bike around your neighborhood while the weather is beautiful.
Prepare your garden. Gardening, mowing, and yard chores are excellent ways to go outside and be active. Is there no yard? Not a problem! Try container gardening or volunteering at a community garden.
Put on some old clothing, grab some towels, and take the kids out for a good old-fashioned mud battle after a big rain.
Take the stairs
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator raises your heart rate, improves your balance, and strengthens your lower extremities. If you have a few minutes and are feeling cheeky, you may perform some heel lifts off the edge of a step for calf strength, or climb the stairs two at a time.
Skip the elevator; your body and heart will appreciate it.
Incorporate walking meetings
Schedule a stroll during one call every day if you work from home or use virtual conference calls.
If you don't need to be gazing at a screen or looking at spreadsheets, put on your headphones, put your phone in your pocket, and go on a stroll to fix the world's issues. It's an excellent approach to spice up your regular routine.
Take your one-on-one meetings with you if you work in an office. Walking together strengthens team cohesion and may even lead to better ideas. According to studies, walking increases creativity and improves mental clarity.
Lunge it up
Try walking lunges along the store aisles while hanging on to your shopping cart. The cart provides an excellent balancing point, and depending on how long your supermarket's aisles are, you can accomplish roughly 10-20 lunges in a single pass. Go for it; it's surprisingly enjoyable!
Use an exercise ball as your chair
Replace your workplace chair with a stability ball. This can assist with back discomfort and improve posture, and you can do some easy mobility exercises for your neck, pelvis, and spine while sitting on the ball.
To assist activate your core stabilizers, try a hula-hoop motion and tucking and untucking your pelvis. If you want to incorporate some core training, try seated marches or other ball exercises while sitting at your computer!
Park far away
While we must be cautious and aware of our surroundings, if you are in a secure and well-lit location, try parking further away from the door of wherever you are heading. A few minutes of walking here and there builds up over time and can help you raise your daily step count!
Have more sex
According to some previous study, sex burns calories at a rate of roughly 3.1 calories per minute for women and 4.2 calories for males.
So, while it's not the same as a brisk jog, you can certainly work up a sweat while having sex. Have fun, experiment with different positions and approaches, and bond with your partner while moving more.
Foster a pet
Volunteers are constantly needed at our local shelter and other adoption organizations. Bring the family to the shelter and volunteer to walk a few dogs.
You get to spend more time outside, assist a dog and your neighborhood, teach your children about compassion, and spend some great family time being active and exercising your body. It's a win-win-win situation for everyone.
Enjoy dance parties
Remove all of the furnishings from the room and turn on some music. This is something you can do while making supper, folding clothes, or vacuuming.
Dancing is an excellent method to burn calories while improving your balance and coordination. You may even make it a game or a contest with your children. Do they need to learn about 80s rock? Put on some ACDC (or whatever gets your feet tap) and start shakin'.
Change up your game night routine
Switch out cards or board games for active games during your next family game night.
Here's a list to help you remember: Hide & seek, scavenger hunts, Twister, frozen dance, potato sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, hopscotch, jump rope, hula hoop contests, limbo... The games you used to enjoy as a child are still enjoyable today.
These kind of games may be played with persons of any age, indoors or outdoors. My family and I had a great time playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Freeze Frame Dance Party, and we're all sweaty and fatigued afterwards.
Exercise or stretch during TV time
I realize this goes against all "binge and relax" principles, but bear with me. During your next Netflix marathon, walk on the treadmill, ride a stationary cycle, stretch on the floor, lift weights for upper- and full-body strength, or do Pilates.
Do some micro-movements at home while watching TV, such as glute squeezes, abdominal contractions, and pelvic floor exercises.
If you move while watching a 30-minute show, that's 30 minutes of exercise you didn't have before! If that sounds like a decent place to start, you can even limit it to when the advertisements come on.
Keep your workout equipment close to your "binge-watching" location, and do some bodyweight exercises or even foam rolling as you watch your show. A few reps of bicep curls, tricep presses, or arm lifts with modest hand weights will improve your arm strength, posture, and overall well-being.
This is especially true for women, who are predisposed to osteoporosis. Include weight training in your program to maintain your bones strong and healthy.
Want some additional ideas for adding extra action to your day
Have you ever wanted to learn to ballroom dance, karate, or shoot a bow and arrow? Find a tutorial online and teach yourself. It is never too late to learn a new skill or become more active.
Throw in some wall push-ups, lunges, and other workouts while you're out strolling. To increase the intensity, practice brief, one-minute intervals at a quicker speed.