Getting enough exercise to your day can seem like a chore. If the weather keeps you indoors and the gym is too far away, you might end up spending your workout hour on the couch instead of on the treadmill. Instead of forcing your whole day’s workout into one hour, you can spread your routine out through the day, saving yourself time and money.
Morning Minutes: Take five minutes or so in the morning to stretch and plank. The plank position will get your blood up and running and you will feel more awake. It works the entire body in only a few minutes. Start by holding the plank for 20-30 seconds at a time, adding a few seconds each day. It will add strength to your body and pep to your whole day.
TV Jog: Do if you spend an hour or so a day in front of the television? Don’t waste it! Instead of slouching on the couch, get up and jog in place, dance, or even stretch. Any movement is better than none at all. Taking about 15 minutes of your hour-long TV session will add an easy 105 minutes of exercise to your week.
Java Jive: It takes the average coffee maker about four minutes to make your cup of joe. While you wait, why not do some wall exercises? You can easily do some wall pushups, squats, or leg lifts while your cup brews.
Sitting and Standing: Set an alarm for every 30 to 60 minutes on your phone or computer to remind yourself to get up. Even if you only stand for a few seconds and lift your arms over your head, it will make a huge difference in how you feel all day long. Standing or even just wiggling around in your chair can help to keep your brain functioning on high and minimize your 2PM lethargy.
Desk Workouts: You can even exercise while you are sitting at your desk! Sit straight up and lift your feet a few inches off of the ground, one at a time, for a nice core and leg workout. It will keep the blood flowing and give your body the movement it craves while you still get work done at your desk.
Lunch to Go: If your employer gives you a hour for lunch, you can easily fit in a short walk. Just walk around the building a couple of times before grabbing your sandwich to add a few extra steps to your normally sedentary afternoon.
Gym Relocation: If your gym is more than five or 10 minutes from your home, you may want to rethink where you work out. Why are you wasting precious time travelling long distances to your gym? Instead, find one as close to your home as possible. You may even have a gym in your apartment complex or your neighborhood that you can join for a small fee or for free. Check out all of the possibilities and see if you can shave a little time off of your gym time by shortening your commute.
Go Green: On days where the weather in nice, skip the gym completely and go for a walk or run around your neighborhood. Jogging in your parking lot instead of packing up for the gym will save you time. If there is a park nearby, you can jog there and back for a more scenic workout.
Before Bed Yoga: If you have trouble falling asleep, you may need a crash course in relaxation. Search for some yoga videos for relaxation and sleep and find one that fits your style. A little stretching before bed doesn’t burn many calories, but a better night’s sleep will help you to tackle the world in the morning and keep you from burning out during your workouts.
Although saving time is very important, don’t let your busy schedule dictate your health. Making exercise a priority is an important step to prevent illness and to get better sleep. Taking just a few moments out of your day, and using the minutes you already have available, to move around will help to improve your health, your mind, and your body!
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