Life is a juggling act. Family, housework, career, church and maybe community. How do you have time for exercise? You have to make time and remember that with it, your health is only better for everything else in your life. Exercise helps with weight control, strengthens muscles, keeps bones strong, battles stress and disease, enhances sleep and mood, and may even improve immune function. If you reap these benefits, you may find yourself getting things done faster and more efficiently in all areas of your life--giving you more time and energy to put back into exercise. It's a positive cycle.
Work fitness into your day by parking further from your workplace entrance or if you take public transportation, get off at the stop before to increase your walking distance. Use the stairs at the workplace or your apartment building whenever possible.
At home or work, you can do strength exercises while waiting for something to cook or while you are on the phone. Twenty basic squats while standing or seated leg lifts are efficient. Sit in a chair (keep a tall posture and hold the sides of the chair, as needed), extend one leg and raise and lower 15-20 times. Perform a couple of times on each leg. You can also perform tricep dips while in the chair by placing your hands on the chair next to your hips with fingertips pointing down, shift your buttocks off of the chair and lower and lift your body by bending and extending your elbows. Keep your knees bent and avoid using your hips. Perform 12-15 repetitions a couple of times per day.
If you have a dog at home, make the daily walk a one or two mile brisk walk, jog or run. If you go out to check for your mail or newspaper, plan to make that your time to walk and pick up the newspaper or mail on the way back. You can also march or jog in place while watching your favorite TV show.
If you have children in your household or watch kids during the day, don't let them hold you back. In fact, they can benefit from activity too. With preschool and school-aged children, you can walk or jog in the park, play catch, ride bikes, hike, and swim during the warmer months. In the winter, you can sled, ice skate, snowshoe, and cross-country ski. With infants and toddlers, put them in a stroller and go for a brisk walk.
You do not have to spend a lot of time getting activity in. You can achieve healthy benefits in 30 minutes a day, three or four times a week. You are worth that time, so add it into your schedule just as you make time for work, family and community. Make time for you. Be Well!
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