10 Ways To Fit Fitness Into Your Day
By Kristina Mancino
We’ve been told that we should exercise at least 30 minutes a day. With how busy we’ve become, finding that 30 minutes to exercise can be difficult. We completely understand! So how can you get the same blood pressure, cholesterol and waistline benefits within the day without having time for a long workout?
One study suggests you can do simple workout motions throughout the day in one minute increments. Here’s what top trainers Chris Freytag, founder of gethealthyu.com, and Lindsay Hunt, founder of walkonthehealthyside.com say about being more active all day long.
- Standing around waiting…
Waiting in line? Here’s a full body routine that isolates certain areas and muscles. Squeeze your behind 10 times. Tighten your stomach muscles 10 times. Stretch your arms downward behind you and squeeze your triceps 10 times. Rise up on your toes and squeeze your calves 10 times.
- While sitting around…
Keep a tennis ball at your desk and at home to improve your grip strength. Twice a day, grip the ball and squeeze it tightly, holding for 10 seconds, repeat 10 to 15 times per hand.
- Walking around in the supermarket…
Do you need to grab some things at the grocery store? Why not skip the shopping cart and opt for reusable totes. Put one over each shoulder and walk around the aisles for your items. The weight of your items in the reuseable totes will mimic walking with a backpack which boosts your heart rate and burns calories.
- While sitting at your desk…
Does your job require you to sit all day? Time to switch it up! Sitting all day can be just as harmful as smoking. Opt for a stability ball and sit on it for 20 to 30 minute periods throughout the day. The stability ball activates your core muscles and builds them while you work and it may reduce back pain. Make sure to stand up and walk around frequently.
- When brushing your teeth…
With age, our balance starts to waver. Here’s a trick to getting it back! While brushing your teeth, stand on one foot for 60 seconds and then switch. Once that becomes easier, try balancing while lifting your leg to the side.
- Waiting for dinner to cook…
To relieve joint pain and to keep your shoulders strong and flexible, do some arm circles. Use the time that your dinner is cooking to lift your arms up out to the side and do 15 circles in the clockwise direction. Then do 15 counterclockwise arm circles.
- While making a beverage…
While waiting for your morning drink, tea to steep or coffee to brew, loosen up your calves and Achilles tendons. With ages comes common heel pain like plantar fasciitis. To keep your calves and Achilles tendons from tightening up, stand at arm’s length from the wall and place one foot behind the other. Keep your heels down and knees straight, lean towards the wall bracing with your arms. Bend your forward leg to stretch the calb of your back leg, holding for 30 seconds before switching.
- When getting up from a chair…
Surprisingly, getting up and down in a chair can give you implications of your health and longevity. When standing up or sitting down, use your legs – if you need assistance, use one hand at first. Do this 10 times a day and without knowing it, you’ve done 10 squats.
- Stuck at a stoplight…
Overtime muscles to our uterus, bladder and bowels can weaken leading to incontinence issues. While sitting at a stoplight, tighten up your pelvic floor muscles (like you have to pee and you’re “holding it’). Hold for a 10-count, releasing for 10. Repeat this until the light turns green.
- While watching tv…
Do a lower body workout! Lie on your side and do 3 sets of 15 leg lifts. Then do 3 sets of leg circles – raising your leg and rotating it in a circular motion, then switch sides and repeat on the other leg.
Each exercise increment takes a few minutes each task and can be work into any part of your day. Make sure you find time within your day to do this simple task and help boost your health.
