Physical activity can boost your energy, make you strong, and help you sleep better, reduce stress and improve your outlook on life. It can also reduce your risk for certain chronic conditions, including heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Exercise does not only mean going to the gym but means being active and moving more. Simply incorporating more movement into your day is beneficial. Do you clean the house? Walk the dog? Do the gardening? If so, you’re already getting some exercise.
Finding time to get fit
Once you decide to do more exercise, the next step is figuring out how you’re going to fit it in. Try some of these suggestions for slipping a workout into your day.
- Rise and shine. Get up 30 minutes early and go for a walk or put in a yoga tape, get out the kids trampoline or stepper – there are fewer distractions in the morning. Plus, starting your day with exercise can help you feel good for the rest of the day.
- Set goals. Having short term and long term goals can keep you motivated. A short term goal might be to exercise four times a week and a long term goal may be to improve your overall fitness level.
- Do double duty. Watching your child’s sports practice or game? Grab another parent and walk around the field. You can see the game from all angles.
- Make a date. Recruit a friend to exercise with you and strengthen your body as you strengthen a friendship.
- Keep a pair of sneakers in your office or your car. When you have the chance, walk.
- Make an exercise appointment for yourself. On busy days, write down when you will exercise. Consider it as important as an office meeting or driving your kids to their afternoon activities.
- Break it up. Exercise doesn’t have to be continuous. You can get the same health benefits from three 10 minute bouts of activity per day as from one 30 minute bout.
- Join a team. Call a local sports or community club and join a sports team.
- Make exercise a family affair. Take the family to the park, go for a family bush walk or bike ride.
- Walk or cycle instead of driving everywhere