The
Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults between the ages of 18 and
64 get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week. The CDC further
recommends that adults perform two weekly sessions of strength training,
consisting of two to three sets of eight to 12
repetitions working all the major muscle groups. That sounds like a lot of
exercise to fit into a hectic schedule, doesn’t it?
Well, the good news is that you don’t have to do it all at
once! You can break it up into manageable chunks of time — as few as 10 minutes,
three times a day and five days a week is enough! When you break up your
exercise periods into smaller chunks, it’s easy to find time in your schedule
for fitness. You can find time for fitness by taking the stairs, cycling to
work, walking a dog, parking further from your destination or even by using
your daily chores as a chance to elevate your heart rate. Let’s take a closer
look at squeezing fitness into a busy schedule.
Get Moving Whenever You Can
Your average day is probably already filled with
opportunities for exercise that you just haven’t noticed. Do you normally take
the elevator at work? Take the stairs instead! Park a little farther from the
office, or get off the bus a stop early to squeeze in a few minutes of walking
time.
On your breaks at work, do exercises at your desk. Do leg
lifts while seated in your chair. Brace your hands on your chair arms and use
your arms to slowly lift yourself out of the seat. Stand up and do neck rolls,
quad stretches or hamstring stretches. Take a brief stroll around the office if
you get the chance.
Shopping trips and other errands are also full of
opportunities for exercise. When you go shopping, park at the back of the lot —
those minutes you spend walking to the store count toward your weekly fitness
goals! Take an extra lap inside the store, or use a basket to carry your
shopping if you’re only picking up a few things. If you have an appointment,
arrive a few minutes early and use the extra time to walk around a little
before you go inside.
Make Time for Movement at Home
If you have a dog, walking is a great fitness activity for
both of you. Taking your dog on a walk keeps you both happy and healthy. Even
if you don’t have a dog, you can still make time for a walk or a bike ride early
in the morning or after work. Or you could do a good deed and offer to walk a
neighbor’s dog.
Get the whole family in on the fun: Play catch with your
kids or go on a romantic hike with your partner. Family outings are a great
opportunity for fitness. Swimming, skiing, ice sledding, parent-and-child yoga
classes or playing at the park are just some of the possibilities.
Even if you don’t have time for an outing, you can still
make time for exercise at home. Walk in place while watching television, or buy
a set of small hand weights and use them for strength training while you watch
your favorite programs. Even getting up and walking across the room to change
the channel the old-fashioned way can make a difference.
Turn Chores Into Mini-Workouts
Household chores are wonderful opportunities to get some
exercise, especially since many chores are a little bit strenuous anyway. Mop
your floor, scrub your shower or vacuum your carpets at a faster pace to raise
your heart rate and log some aerobic exercise minutes toward your weekly goal.
Yard work is another great way to wedge some exercise time
into a tight schedule. Do you like to garden? Raking, hoeing, digging, weeding
and cultivating can all become aerobic activities if you do them at a brisk
pace. Mowing the lawn with a push mower is also an excellent workout,
especially if you have a big lawn! The best part is that many of these
activities also double as strength-training exercises, since they require you
to use the major muscle groups in your legs, back, arms and shoulders.
Making time in your schedule for exercise doesn’t have to be
hard, even if you’re busy. Remember, you don’t have to work out for hours and
hours to feel the benefits. Just two and a half hours of aerobic exercise per
week and two sessions of strength training exercises is enough. By breaking
your exercise time up into manageable pieces, you can easily find all the time
you need for fitness.
About the Author: Desiree
Williams is a contributing writer and yoga teacher in San Francisco. She
personally recommends the diet to go food
delivery program, which has helped her lose more than 30 pounds.
