Sneaking Exercise into Your Day

Sometimes we don’t have the physical or mental energy to do a ‘real’ workout, but we know we need to keep our body moving. There are some small ways we can move our bodies throughout the day that have some real benefits for our physical and mental health.

Stretching helps your blood flow, your range of motion, and may help prevent injury. Keep it gentle and know your limits. It should stretch, but not hurt.

You can tighten your muscles for 3 to 10 seconds and then release. Repeat a few times, and try different muscle groups.

Take your child for a stroll, your dog for a walk, and your friend on a hike so you can catch up. The movement and the fresh air are doubly good.

At work you can turn your meeting with a co-worker into a walking meeting. And if you need to communicate with a co-worker, instead of email, walk over and talk in person. In addition to a little extra physical activity, you can also connect better in person.

Every now and then, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If it’s a tall building, take the elevator part way up and walk the rest.

Whether you’re at work or running errands, park a little farther away.

When you’re home watching TV, set a timer and walk, stretch or do pushups for a few minutes while watching your favorite show.

And when it’s time to clean, turn on some music and really get into the chores. Scrubbing, vacuuming and cleaning out closets can easily become an aerobic activity.

Physical activity doesn’t have to be hard, or complicated or expensive. You can work it into the things you’re already doing. Pick one of the suggestions above and give it a shot right now!