When you’re trying to fit in exercise, it can feel daunting. I offer the following advice to my physical therapy patients: as well as how I keep myself moving.
I got it. Who has time to workout when you’re a… is something we’ve all said.
Just enter the appropriate information: parent who commutes, parent who works night shifts, parent who is an entrepreneur, student, or parent who stays at home to raise children. You’re not the only one who struggles to find time for exercise in your day.
I have to arrange my exercise time because, as a mother and a physical therapist who runs her own business, it won’t get done otherwise.
I’ve learned over the past 11 years that the “I’ll work it out later” strategy doesn’t work for me. In order to keep sane, maintain my health, and build up my strength, I need to schedule exercise into my day.
Here’s one more piece of advice: To keep your body active throughout the day and week, try including a few extra activities. Over time, even a few more minutes of activity here and there build up.
Here are 9 simple strategies to increase your daily movement without taking extra time out of your already packed schedule.
Climb the stairs
I know you can use the stairs. You’ve heard this a billion times, and it is so boring. But there’s a reason it’s one of the greatest suggestions.
Instead of using the elevator, use the stairs because it will raise your heart rate, enhance your balance, and strengthen your lower extremities. If you have a few minutes and are in a saucy mood, you may also walk the stairs two at a time or perform heel lifts off the edge of a step to build calf power.
Your heart and body will appreciate you if you avoid the elevator.
Include strolling meetings
Schedule a walk for one call every day if you work from home or have switched to virtual conference calls.
Put your headphones on, tuck your phone in your pocket, and take a walk to find solutions to the world’s issues if you don’t need to be staring at a screen or spreadsheets. It’s a wonderful method to change up your everyday schedule.
Bring your one-on-one meetings with you if you work in an office. The team will bond more when you walk together, and you might even come up with better ideas. According to research, walking improves mental clarity and creativity.
Squat it up
I often receive strange stares for doing this, but hey, I’m a busy lady, and my time is valuable!
Try walking lunges down the supermarket aisles while still hanging onto the cart when you’re out shopping. Depending on how long the aisles in your supermarket are, the cart provides a nice equilibrium point from which you may perform 10 to 20 lunges in one motion. Do it; it’s surprisingly enjoyable!
Sit on a stability ball
Replace your desk chair with a stability ball. You can do some light mobility stretches for your neck, pelvis, and spine while sitting on the ball, which can help alleviate back discomfort and improve posture.
To activate your core stabilizers, try moving your pelvis like a hula hoop and tucking and untucking it. You can also try seated marches or other exercises on the ball while working at your desk if you want to include some abdominal work.
Far afar park
While it’s important to stay cautious and aware of our surroundings, you might want to park further away from the entrance if you’re in a well-lit, secure location. Your daily step total can be increased by adding in a few minutes of walking time here and there.
Adopt a pet
Volunteers are constantly needed to assist the local adoption agency and shelter. Visit the animal shelter with the family and offer to lead a couple pets on walks.
You get to spend more time outdoors, give back to your neighborhood and community, instill compassion in your children, and enjoy some quality family time while being physically active. All parties involved benefit from the situation.
Get up and dance
Play some music while the room’s furnishings is cleared away. You can carry out this task while sweeping, folding laundry, or preparing dinner.
A great approach to lose weight and improve balance and coordination is to dance. Additionally, you can include your kids in a game or competition. They should educate themselves on 80s rock, right? Get moving by turning on some ACDC or another song that makes you tap your feet.
Modify your gaming night
Replace cards or board games with active games during your next family game night.
This list will help you remember: Musical chairs, hopscotch, jump rope, hula hoop competitions, limbo, kick the can, scavenger hunts, Twister, freeze dance, potato sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, etc. The games you enjoyed playing as a child are still enjoyable today.
These kinds of games can be played indoors or outdoors with players of any age. We all get sweaty and exhausted after playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Freeze Frame Dance Party with my family.
While watching TV, stretch or exercise
I realize that this goes against the spirit of “binge and chill,” but bear with me. While watching Netflix, you can go for a walk on the treadmill, ride a stationary bike, stretch on the floor, lift weights to improve your upper and entire body, or perform Pilates.
If you move throughout a 30-minute show while you watch it, that’s 30 minutes of exercise you weren’t getting before! If that seems like a decent place to start, you may even restrict it to when the commercials appear.
Do some bodyweight exercises or even foam rolling as you watch your show by keeping your exercise equipment close to where you binge-watch. Bicep curls, tricep presses, or arm raises performed a few times with light hand weights will significantly improve your arm strength, posture, and general wellbeing.
For women, who have a higher risk of osteoporosis, this is especially true. Add weightlifting to your program to maintain strong, healthy bones.
