Squeezing in time to exercise during our busy day can seem like a daunting task. Juggling work, kids, and chores can often overwhelm us and give us a great excuse not to head to the gym. This can sometimes make us feel guilty or lazy. But rather than using these reasons as a justification not to workout, why not consider them as a way of implementing exercise into your schedule. It’s as easy as reframing the way you think about movement. Rather than dreading an hour at the gym, consider other ways of adding in movement throughout your day.
1. Whistle while you work. Sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day can wreak havoc on our bodies and our minds. From poor posture to high blood pressure, staying seated all day is simply not good for our health. According to sports scientist, Jack Groppel, in Forbes magazine, we should be implementing short movements and exercises periodically throughout the workday. That means regularly getting up to stretch and taking short walks every few hours. Offer to walk down for a coffee run or spend 5 minutes of your break stretching your body. Not only is this beneficial for your physical and mental health, it can also boost energy and efficiency.
2. Take the tots for a tour. Pry your kids away from their iPads, and explore your neighborhood; try walking down to your local park for some fresh air. Kick a soccer ball around or play catch. Not only does this allow for some great bonding time and a much-needed break from social media, it’s also really healthy for the whole family. According to Dr Melina B. Jampolis on prevention.com, “Walking is the number one exercise I recommend….[it] has tremendous mental and physical benefits.” It’s simple, easy and fun for all.
3. Hone in on your housework. Doing chores around the house is no doubt a necessary evil. If you dread vacuuming the carpet or despise folding the laundry, it might be useful to reframe your thinking. Housework is actually an excellent way of burning calories and keeping fit. Surprising? Yes. According to a study by StarBrands, even a task like washing the car burns as many as 314 calories; that’s equivalent to 45 minutes of boxing! What are you waiting for? Put on your leggings, turn on your favorite music, fetch the mop, and start moving.
Finding time to incorporate incidental activity into your day shouldn’t be a challenge. Implementing small amounts of movement into a sedentary day can make a big difference for both your health and your waistline. Try finding movement that suits your lifestyle and that you enjoy. And don’t forget to pace yourself…this is just the start of you morphing into the person that you want to be.