Do terms like “fitness” and “exercise” automatically bring to mind overly-perky aerobics instructors, or sweat-drenched bodybuilders who practically live at the gym?
They do for most people, and this can often lead to a difficult question: “My schedule is crazy enough as it is, and now I’m expected to spend an hour or more at a gym every day? How am I ever supposed to get or stay in shape?”
Don’t worry. No matter how busy your day is, you have a few minutes in it when you can fit in a few minutes of strength training or aerobic exercises. This article will teach you 5 types of exercises you can easily work into a busy schedule.
1.Arm Exercises
This is a 10-15 minute series of exercises that can easily be done in front of the TV.
Get a pair of handheld free weights, and use them to do two or three sets of 10 repetitions of each of the following moves (not necessarily in this order): shoulder presses, lateral raises, chest flys, chest presses, front raises, upright rows, single-arm rows (these are particularly good to do if you suffer from “bra bulge”), overhead triceps extensions, kickbacks, and hammer curls.
Once you get good at these, you won’t even have to think about doing them.
2.Movie Crunches
This is another set of exercises that can be performed while watching television, but this one targets your abs. While lying on the floor, spend about 20 minutes doing crunches and other exercises that tighten and work all the muscle groups in the abdominal area.
If you don’t want to lie on the floor, you can exercise by sitting in a chair with a flat, vertical, rigid back, with your feet propped up on a table. While in this position, lift your feet up from the table a few inches, then slowly bring them back down. After 20-30 minutes of this, you’ll feel the burn.
3.Leg Exercises
You can exercise your legs while doing ordinary, everyday tasks.
For example, you can do lunges while vacuuming, squats while cooking or doing the dishes (try doing 5-10 squats for each dish washed), and leg lifts while walking from room to room in the house.
4.Bicycling and Walking
You can enjoy the aerobic and fitness benefits of walking or biking without buying the latest styles of aerobic exercise gear, or suiting up in spandex (not that there’s anything wrong with doing so for a longer workout). Think of every errand as an opportunity to do four things at once – get where you’re going, save money on gas, help out the environment, and get some aerobic exercise in.
For example, if you only need to pick up a few things at the store, bike or walk there instead of driving. For larger shopping trips, park as far away as possible from the entrance to the store, and power-walk the distance between your car and the entrance.
In addition, try to take the stairs instead of using an elevator or escalator whenever you can.
5.Housework
Many people overlook the fact that whenever they’re raking leaves, weeding the garden, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, or painting, they’re also burning calories.
The Exercise Calorie Calculator is your best friend here. This handy tool says that if you weigh 150 pounds and clean the house energetically for 30 minutes, you’ve just burned more than 150 calories – plus, you’ve completed a chore that you needed to get done!