Five ways to get exercise in your day
I am probably the last person on earth who would ever say I enjoy exercise. I have joined a gym only to see my checking account depleting and my weight stagnant. I have never enjoyed doing more than five minutes on the stationary bike since the seat hurts my rear. Once I start breaking into a sweat on the stairmaster, I usually am too winded to try to continue any longer. I finally developed a few great ways to get exercise in my day.
Five Easy Steps to Fitting More Exercise into your Day
1. Take the stairs whenever possible!
You heard me! Skip waiting for the elevator and find the fire stairwell. Not only do you move more, but you might actually get to your destination faster!
2. Do 5-10 min bursts of activity throughout the day.
I am specifically saying to keep a stopwatch and just move at random intervals. My favorite thing to do when other people are out on cigarette breaks are just walking around the block twice in ten minutes. I push myself to speed walk so I burn the most calories and since its not for more than ten minutes I never feel like I have a never-ending exercise program.
3. Bring free weights to work.
Yes, I am serious. Take some 5 or 10 pound weights and leave them in a drawer or under your desk. Set a timer on your computer calendar to actually do a few sets of repetitions every other day. Pretty soon you will have muscles you never knew you had! This takes all of 5-10 minutes and can be squeezed in right before you eat your lunch.
4. Take on a sport for fun.
Here’s a few things to try: Baseball, basketball, kickball, soccer, tennis. The list goes on and on. Find something you might be passionate about or you have always wanted to do. An example I love is indoor rock climbing. I always wanted to try it, and when I did, I felt like I was having fun not working out. Another great example is snowboarding.
My brother went just for the fun of it, but later realized he worked out a lot of muscles in the process. The trick is to find something you truly enjoy and you will end up having the benefits of exercise as well.
5. Get a fitness buddy or join a fitness group.
If none of these tips help out and you must join a gym, get a fitness friend to rely on. They will keep you accountable and you can keep them accountable. They will be your support and your motivation to continue.
