We all have the same complaint. We would love to exercise if we just had more time. Resolve now to put that excuse to rest. There are ways that even the most jam packed schedule can accommodate 30 minutes of exercise. Try one of these tips to get yourself moving more often.
Be the early bird
Try an app such as the Sleep Cycle alarm. It monitors your sleep patterns and wakes you during your lightest sleep phase. That means you may be able to get up earlier without feeling too much pain. Get out of bed and use the extra minutes to get in some exercise. Even 20 minutes three times a week will yield physical and mental health benefits.
Take small steps
If you don’t have 20 or 30 minutes all at once, exercise in smaller chunks. Maybe you can get in 8 minutes in the morning, that’s great. There is actually a book called 8 Minutes in Morning: A Simple Way to Shed up to 2 pounds a week Guaranteed, by Jorge Cruise. Cruise offers good ideas for making the most of just a few minutes of exercise. Pair your morning workout with a ten minute stroll or some rope jumping after dinner.
Wear a pedometer
Counting steps is a good way to encourage yourself to move more all day. Pedometers are a very inexpensive way to keep track of how many steps you are taking and set goals to increase that number each week. Other options, such as the Fitbit track steps and a lot more. If you can’t fit one in your budget get the pedometer. The most important thing is not how fancy the gadget but how many steps you take. Your body and your blood pressure don’t care about anything else.
Bike or walk to work
Citing environmental and quality of life concerns, more people are moving closer to work. If you are one of them, take advantage of the proximity. Bike or walk a few days each week. Alternatively, you could drive to a train station and bike or walk from there.
Lose your seat
Stand up and move around at least once each hour. Use your desk for modified push-ups, do a few squats or leg lifts if you have the space and privacy or head for the stairs during your morning and afternoon breaks.
Housework counts
Exercise isn’t just about aerobics class. You can actually get a really good workout, sweeping, shoveling raking, scrubbing and mopping. Try a few calf raises or bicep curls as you work.
Exercise doesn’t happen only at the gym or on the track. Any activity that gets your heart rate up counts – that includes the romantic variety. Always be on the lookout for ways to move more. You’ll be counting up regular exercise, despite your overcrowded schedule, in no time.
