Time has flown by and we are half way through MOVEmber.
How have you been going trying to get in 30mins of daily exercise?
If you work full time, look after kids or just find time gets away from you, like me, you may find squeezing in 30 minutes of scheduled exercise can be challenging.
Luckily, I’ve thought of some strategies to help you! Exercise is not only going for a run or lifting weights at the gym, but it can also be incidental. In other words, make your daily routine less convenient, or what I like to call “exercising smartly.”
Here are five ways to increase your daily exercise without having to change into active wear:
- Sit Less: NSW Health guidelines recommends that everyone should get up every 30 minutes from sitting and move for 2-3 minutes before sitting again. This is an easy way of logging up 30 minutes of activity if you’re working an 8 hour day. Plus, it will significantly decrease your risk of neck and back pain.
- Stepping up: Every time you find yourself waiting for a lift or lining up for the escalator, take the stairs instead. Even if you are in a multistory building, the stairs may kill you the first week, but if you keep at it, you’ll find your fitness adapts and you may even add in weight training with grocery bags!
- Parking: Parking in Sydney is a pain, you can never get one close enough to where you’re going. Think of it as a positive! The further away you park, the more steps you add to your daily 10 000 step count
- Add value to ad breaks: Personally, I like television but I hate watching ads. Instead of wasting time watching meerkats trying to sell you home loans, why not use it to do a couple of sets of squats, core work or push ups?
- Bathroom squats: You may think this last one is a bit unusual. Do you find brushing teeth a little dull? You could try doing squats, heel raises and lunges (if you’re coordinated) while you brush your teeth. This is a great challenge for those that love to multitask, or want a way to fit in your physio exercises!
Not all of these may suit you, but by simply making your life a little less convenient, it’s a very smart way of exercising. And this means you will get closer to moving 30 minutes everyday!
Do you have any other ideas of how to fit incidental exercise into your day?
