We’re all busy boys and girls these days. Running from one place to the next in the pursuit of the reproduction of life, we often don’t leave much time to take of our bodies with exercise.
But when we’re not busy, do we wedge in a workout? Probably not. So many people these days seem to be almost allergic to exercise. We know we need to move to keep ourselves feeling well and to keep our joints and muscles working as they should. So, what’s the problem?
OK, we’re busy. But that’s not the whole story. Long commutes, family responsibilities and other priorities jostle exercise out of the way. And that’s not good. When we don’t exercise, we’re inviting numerous health problems later in life, like heart disease and other fallout from our stress-filled lives.
So, what do we do about it?
Changing Out Mindset About Exercise
All exercise isn’t based on going somewhere to do it. We needn’t carve out an hour for a spin class, or to do a full CrossFit routine. There are many other things we can do to bridge the activity gap in our lives.
The trick is to see opportunities. For example, if you need to go to another floor at the office, take the stairs. Even doing one flight of stairs is exercising. Walk a little farther to grab your lunch or carry it with you to a pleasant park bench, eat and walk back.
You might even want to get off the bus or train a stop or two early to get in the steps you need. Maybe you’ve always wanted to bike to work. Many cities are making this possible, with the addition of cyclist-friendly amenities like dedicated bike lanes.
A fitness wearable can really help you track your elevated activity level once you make these simple changes in your daily routine. It keeps you honest and aware about how you’re doing in terms of exercise and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Quicky Fixes
I know I’m always harping about sitting for prolonged periods of time, but it really is not a great way to live. But you can mitigate the effects of sitting by getting up and doing something to get your cardiovascular system and muscles pumping.
Do some wall presses! 20 of these with your feet three feet away from the wall and your glutes and abs engaged can make a tremendous difference in your mood. You’ll also have a stronger core and upper body. Try doing them with your hands shoulder-width apart. Then, do another 20 with your hands in front of your face, thumbs and forefingers touching to form a triangle.
If you’ve got your own office, you should be taking advantage of that and doing brief spurts of activity whenever you can. Abdominal exercises, planks and hip bridges are great exercises which require no equipment and deliver maximum return for minimum time investment.
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