From MommyB Knows Best Fitness Correspondent, Bobby Demuro:
So many people think that they lack the time, or energy, for exercise due to the stress and hectic nature of their average day. Either your children need your attention, or your work consumes every waking hour, or you have no energy left by the end of the day to think about mustering the necessary vigor to exercise. If that’s
the case, and yet you want to make exercise a priority, it’s time to look into making small changes throughout your day to add in exercise without blocking out a full 30, 60, or 90 minute training session.
Exercise has to be an enjoyable part of your everyday life, no matter how busy your schedule. If it is not enjoyable, or at least tolerable, you will not continue to pursue it in the long run. Choose activities that you enjoy, and that are readily accessible, rather than trying to plan an hour of time at the gym in your already hectic schedule.
Instead of going over the top, and making it a goal to exercise 90 minutes a day, 7 days per week, begin with a light increase of activity; over time you’ll notice how much easier it becomes to do even more.
A healthy, fit lifestyle can be achieved by simply adding a few minutes of incidental exercise to a busy schedule. Even the busiest schedules have time for fitness activities! There are a few simple things to remember when contemplating increasing your workouts during a hectic time.
Do a short, and focused, session of stretching every morning for a couple minutes when you wake. This will invigorate your muscles and help your joints, and it only takes 5-10 minutes. Think of it as a mini-yoga session before you begin your day, but without having to leave the house or give up an hour of your time!
Take the stairs whenever possible. If you live in a multi-story home, find excuses to take the stairs up and down a couple more times to do chores or errands than you normally would, otherwise. It’s building leg muscle, cushioning your joints, and getting you a bit of a workout
Take a 15 to 20 minute walk with a friend, co-worker, or spouse. At some point during the day, when your schedule clears just a bit, hit the road and take a walk with your children, family, or friends! Having a buddy will help motivate you daily. Eat a light lunch either immediately before, or immediately afterwards, to promote healthy weight loss and maintain your metabolism.
Chores are exercise – if you have to do them anyways, make them help you!
Do yard walk, rake the leaves, mop, dust, vacuum, walk the dog, etc. while enjoying the physical activity. Play some music if it helps brighten your mood to accompany these tasks, or if you have a competitive streak, time yourself – and try to beat that time every week by working a little bit more efficiently, and a little bit harder!
Take a stretch break in the afternoon to ward off fatigue and soreness from sitting too long. Practice deep, cleansing breathing exercises for about 5 minutes each afternoon, to preserve your sanity, your blood pressure, and your physiological health. Similar to your morning session, take a very focused 5 minutes on your body – and then get back to the needs of your family!
Add new, fun and different exercise activities to weekend family outings. Instead of sitting in front of the television together, get out there and play! Rotate the selection and planning of the activities between family members, but make sure it’s something where you are working together, and being active! One of the best parts of doing this is, if you’re just outdoors enjoying nature, it’s free and relaxing, too!
Snack properly. Even if you truly do not have time to exercise during the day, you still must eat. And when you eat, make it healthy – it’s the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your children. Don’t wait to eat until you are starving; forgetting to eat is not a legitimate excuse, either. If you don’t have time to sit down for a meal, keep consistently snacking on fruits, vegetables, nuts, and yogurt. Remember to consume plenty of water throughout the day, too!
Set an alarm and stick to the goal. Strength training is important for your muscles and bones. But instead of doing an hour of concentrated work, break it up throughout the day. Every 30 minutes, break to do 10 push-ups. It won’t take more than 15 or 20 seconds, and by the end of the day, imagine the total you will have
completed!
Rather than taking the closest space in the parking lot, park farther away from the destination and walk the extra distance. Now this assumes several things, of course – namely, make sure that you are in a safe and secure parking lot where you feel comfortable parking far away. And, this may not be the best idea with children in tow – but if it’s just you, or you’re with friends, take the extra several hundred yards as an opportunity to exercise!
About The Author: Bobby DeMuro is the Founder of FusionSouth, a personal training/sports conditioning firm in Charlotte, NC. He is also the Executive Director of NoFizz Charlotte, a non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness on the importance of proper hydration. He resides on Lake Norman with his 2-year old boxer, Dakota.
Only problem with breaking it up, it never really gets your heart rate up, therefore, no cardio. Cardio is the most important, and weight bearing exercises, especially for the “mom” group. One MUST find the time. You cannot cook, clean, and drive the kids around at optimum Mom level, unless you take care of yourself. Not to mention, finding the 20 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weight bearing exercises will in turn, take care of the 40 minutes you spend trying to fall asleep.
this is GREAT! I need to do MUCH more of it…but its so much easier {and more fun} to be lazy! Guess I’ll get my postpartum butt busy{er}