Fitness Solutions – Easy Exercise
Make evening time = Exercise Time
Rethink what you do after dinner, that’s when many families sit down in front of the television with a bowl of potato chips. It’s the witching hour for unhealthy behavior. Putting aside time for doing the essentials (paying bills or helping kids with homework), but try to coordinate with your partner so at least one of you can squeeze in some exercise time, too. Even better, set aside a family fitness hour, which you can spend on activities like playing Twister with the kids. Or, like Susan, a 44-year-old lawyer, take a leisurely post-supper stroll with the whole family.
Sit Prettier
Recent studies suggest that sitting all day can lead to disease and poor muscle tone, and it doesn’t help your waistline. Try to stand for at least half the time you’d otherwise be working at a desk. The average American sits almost eight hours a day, so standing for a couple of hours daily can make a huge difference in terms of muscle tone and calorie burn. Standing may burn only 35 more calories an hour, but over the course of a day, that could add up to 100 to 150 calories-and over a year, as much as 15 pounds.
Give Back
Maintain your motivation by exercising for a higher cause. You can volunteer to make contributions, like cleaning parks or helping out in a community garden or organic farm. Or you can participate in a charity walk to raise funds for fighting cancer, diabetes, or AIDS. Knowing that you’re making a difference and helping other people will keep you going strong.
Embrace Inefficiency
OK, it sounds counterintuitive, but you have to consider that the fastest way is not always the most physical way. Switch your mind-set from doing everything as efficiently as possible to squeezing in some exercise where you can. Yes, that means parking on the far side of the parking lot so you’ll have to walk across or, like Neporent, putting the books you use most on the far side of your office so you have to walk to get them. But there are bonuses,. Not only do you get in your “exercise snacks”, but you may find that you’re not being inefficient at all. Start taking the stairs to the second-floor office; you will discover it is faster and less frustrating than waiting for an elevator. And walking across the office to talk to a colleague instead of sending an email gets your message across more clearly.
Use your library
Check your local library for exercise DVDs to try, such as Jessica Smith’s 10-Minute Solution DVDs, which offer, as you might expect, 10 minute mini workouts. You can pop one in the DVD player and just hit play whenever you have a few minutes. You can also check out audio books; sometimes you can check them out over your computer to provide entertainment while you exercise.
Get in front of a screen
You may already have access to a lot of helpful fitness info and programming. If your kids have a Wii console, wrest it away from them. Wii fitness makes staying in shape feel like being in a video game. If your kids have the Wii console, it’s definitely worth spending the money. Fit Plus system with balance board on amazon and at stores like Target and Best Buy. Dance Dance Revolution, a Wii favorite your kids may already have, can also provide a great workout for adults. Try the moves from Miley Cyrus’s or Lady Gaga’s latest video.
You can also check out the apps available on your phone. These might include ways to track your diet and fitness goals as well as automatic reminders when it’s time to exercise and even pointers on how to do your moves correctly. If you’ve got an iPhone, check out iFit for all kinds of fitness help. If you’ve got an iTunes subscription, look up the podcast series Couch to 5K, which is a good workout.
Finally, you should explore your cable package. Many cable services provide on-demand fitness shows that you can access anytime.
Commercials are your friends
When it comes to fitness, TV gets a bad rap, but it can actually help you with your workout. Use the commercials to work on weight-lifting reps. Ad time during an hour-long show can total 15 minutes. Pick a body part to concentrate on during each commercial.
