Do you have a fitness goal you’d like to achieve but have no time to go to the gym? Perhaps you’d like to lose weight or become more agile, or maybe even gain a few pounds of muscle, but your schedule just won’t allow you sufficient time for a traditional workout. Don’t worry! All is not lost.
The good news is that by using a bit of creativity to plan your day, you can still be physically active and raise your metabolism, which will help you stay fit and healthy. Here are 3 ways you can stay active while going about your day-to-day activities:
1. Walk More
Did you know you can actually walk your way to fitness? It’s true. An activity as simple as walking can help you stay active and live a much healthier life.
Regular brisk walking has been shown to improve cardiovascular health, strengthen bones and muscles, shed body fat, maintain a healthy weight, improve muscle endurance, and even reduce stress and tension. The faster and more frequently you walk, the more benefits you are going to reap.
To motivate you to walk frequently and faster, try making a game out of it. For instance, instead of taking an Uber to your destination, walk instead and time yourself to see how fast you cover the distance. Then, next time, try to get there faster to beat your initial time.
Try doing this at work too. Take the stairs and try to see how much time you’ll spend getting to your office. If you’re consistently within range, it means you’re maintaining your fitness.
2. Get a Standing Desk
Tired of sitting too much? A standing desk will help you stay active at work and burn calories. A standing desk is basically a raised desk that allows you to stand as you work. More recent versions are built to be adjustable so you can change the height and alternate between sitting and standing.
Standing in this manner will help you improve your cardiovascular health, better manage your weight, and improve your mood and energy levels. It will also help you live longer since it reduces your sitting time, a.k.a. time spent in a sedentary position, which has been shown to contribute to the onset of heart disease and diabetes.
3. Perform Short Exercises During Breaks
If you’re looking to stay lean or build a bit of muscle, you can try doing short workouts throughout the day at the office during breaks. These exercises can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes each, and no, you don’t need any equipment to do them.
Some office-friendly exercises include triceps dips, desk push-ups, squats, lunges, oblique twists, and single-leg squats among others. You can mix up the exercises over time to ensure you work out different muscle groups and also to avoid overworking specific joints, muscles, and ligaments which can increase your risk of injury.