Several people come across our path at Saratoga Health & Wellness who claim “there just isn’t enough time in the day for me to exercise”. It’s sometimes tough to carve out 30-60 minutes a day (or several days a week) to meet the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week. We often suggest trying to look at it in other ways, rather than spending an hour at the “gym” (although this is highly recommended)!
See if you can find 10 minutes 3 times per day to do something active. Or, if its a VERY busy day, try for at least once a day. Spend 10 minutes walking around the block, going up & down the stairs, doing errands by walking from store-to-store. Anything that gets your heart rate up.
Here is a good 10-minute exercise routine that also incorporates some strength training:
- Start with push ups. If you are a novice start on your knees or even against a wall. Do about 10-15 or as many as you can do.
- Then do 1 minute of cardio (march in place, jump rope-even if it’s imaginary, step side to side or do knee ups).
- Then do ab exercises (crunches for 30 reps, or plank [prone position] for 30 seconds or bicycle for 30 reps).
- Then do body weight squats or forward lunges for 20-30 reps.
- Cycle through 4-5 times.
If you are one of the people who simply CAN’T find the time to exercise, or exercise doesn’t seem to fit into your schedule as often as you’d like, try to find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life.
Fall is the time when all of our favorite shows start back up. Try making a vow to “actively” watch TV. Instead of lounging on the couch during your favorite shows, try running or marching in place. OR, do something physical during the commercial breaks (push-ups, crunches). In a 1-hour show, there is at least 15-20 minutes worth of commercials!
Workout while your kids do. If you’re driving your kids to practices and then sitting there watching them, use this time to get active! Walk or run around the perimeter of the field. Or, if you know you have an hour – walk out for 30 minutes and then back before practice is over.
Search for ways to become more active and burn calories throughout the day. Incorporating Physical Activity in your daily routine may not be as hard as it seems. There are many “little” activities that you can do throughout the day that can lead up to a good amount of exercise by the days end.
- Park your car further away in the parking lot(s)
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Take a “walking” break at work, or go for a walk on your lunch hour
- Make a commitment to stretch whenever you get up from your desk
- Walk to the desks of the people you need to speak to instead of sending an email or calling them on the phone
- Get vigorous when you are raking leaves or vacuuming
- Spend 10 minutes before bedtime practicing yoga or stretching
These “little” exercises are simple but effective when they add up. Become creative with it. Make it a game to see what you can do throughout your day that would be considered a physical activity. After all, it may be easier than you think it is!