No Time To Exercise? Here Are 4 Ways to Fit It Into Your Day
Posted by Scott V Watkins, MD
Taking Small Steps Can Get You Big Benefits
We know we have to exercise to get and maintain health, but it does take time. And a lot of us find there’s little time in our day to dedicate to working out.
I would like to say I exercise every day, but I experience time constraints and lazy days just like so many other people do. Personally, I have found it takes me from 3 to 6 weeks after I restart working out to become “addicted” to it again. But I’ve also learned there are ways to incorporate activity into my day, so I don’t become totally sedentary and still get physical and mental health benefits. And you don’t need to go to a gym, either.
One common question I get asked is: How much exercise do you need?
Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderately vigorous physical activity a week, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That translates to 30 minutes, 5 days a week. While even that may seem like a stretch to fit into your schedule, there are a number of important small steps you can take to move you along your path to a healthier life.
And you don’t have to move for 30 minutes straight: Research indicates that even breaking that half-hour into 10-minute chunks throughout the day can have the same impact on making you feel and look better.
Here are just a few of the simple ways you can build physical activity into your regular day:
- Park your car away from your destination: Don’t search for the closest parking space to work or a store you visit. By parking farther away, you’ll be able to find your spot easier AND you’ll get in extra steps. I’m a bit of a car fanatic, and I was reading a recent article about car care and parking lot etiquette. Parking a distance from your destination can mean fewer vehicles around your car. That can reduce the chance someone will hit your car with their vehicle’s door or a stray shopping cart will damage your paint job, meaning you’ll even be helping your car’s appearance.
- Take the stairs: If you need to go up one or two flights, walk upstairs instead of taking an elevator. Climbing stairs is an excellent cardio workout, and the more you do this, the more likely you’ll be able to progress to walking three flights or more. If you have to, rest between flights or even on that particular flight, but keep it up, even if you need to look for stairs in an unfamiliar building. To get a more strenuous workout while climbing stairs, when you feel you’re ready, carry some added weight (like your groceries or a bag with your belongings).
- Move your office printer or shredder: Instead of having them right beside you, put them farther away so you’re forced to get up and walk to them. While this may seem counterproductive, when it comes to being efficient at your job, relocating your office equipment so you’re forced to get in extra steps will help keep you awake and alert, especially during the afternoons when people naturally experience dips in their energy levels.
- Take a walk: To go along with all the previous ways you can walk whenever possible, how about just taking a regular walk, including after meals and during your break at work. Going for a 10-minute walk after each meal alone adds up to your 30 minutes of activity per day. Remember to move at a good pace for yourself. If you can speak normally, you are walking too slowly.
Now get up and get moving!
No Time To Exercise? Here Are 4 Ways To Fit It Into Your Day
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