I can't imagine how anyone with kids and a job can find the time to exercise. It seems like there's just not enough hours in the day! Is there a realistic exercise program that would fit into a crazy schedule like mine?
You're not alone! Time constraints are the number one reason most people don't start or quit an exercise program. When life gets rough, exercise is usually the first thing to go when it should be the last. Exercise is the glue to mental sanity when life becomes chaotic. In fact, research shows that exercisers are more productive at whatever they're doing. So instead of thinking that exercise will take up precious time, consider that exercise will actually give you more time and the energy to do the things you've always wanted to do.
The good news is that exercise doesn't have to involve a huge time commitment. Just moving more throughout the day would eliminate the need to spend hours and hours at the gym. I read an alarming stat in the Australian Fat Loss Handbook that stated, on average, we expend 500-800 calories less per day than we did 30 years ago.
Let's face it, the age of technology is making us fat. Escalators, elevators, remote controls, computers, the internet, take-out taxi.we never have to leave the house, and if we do, we sure don't need to walk or take the stairs to get where we're going! Things have gotten so bad that someone has actually invented an indoor treadmill for dogs so you don't even have to leave the couch to walk Spot. That's pretty frightening and down-right lazy!
Maybe this will make it all clear. Based on the inactivity in our present lives, we need to workout everyday for about an hour just to counteract the decreased daily caloric expenditure. That's on top of your regular workouts! The moral of the story is obvious. If we just start moving more in our lives, we won't have to spend so much time at the gym!
The Surgeon General's Report released in 1996 concluded that light activity equivalent to gardening, walking or performing household chores for 30 minutes every day would be enough to offer health benefits. Other studies have found that just 10 minute brief workouts interspersed throughout the day are better than nothing and will provide benefits. So here are some easy tips on how to increase your daily caloric expenditure without actually "exercising".
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Are you always looking for the perfect parking spot closest to your destination? Do you sometimes find yourself frustrated or circling the block waiting for a spot to open up? Make it a goal that you'll begin to always look for the farthest parking stall or you'll park at least one block away from where you're going. The calories expended will add up and you'll find it a lot less stressful. |
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Are you an escalator or elevator junkie? Have you taken the elevator up or down just one flight? There are people at our gym who will spend 45 minutes on the stair master but then will always choose the escalator on the way up. This has to change. Commit to always taking the stairs if you need to go less than 5 flights. |
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Leave the car in the garage and walk, run, cycle or inline skate to do quick errands. |
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Take a 10 minute walk before work, at lunch or after dinner. Every little bit counts! |
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Schedule active outings with your family or friends. Go for a hike, bike ride, skate, or walk together. Enroll in an active family camp or register for a rock-climbing, kayaking, or cross-country skiing program. Sign up for ball-room dancing or Yoga together. |
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Do a few light exercises like knee bends, toe taps, heel raises or triceps dips while making dinner or during TV commercials |
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At work, get up, move and stretch every 30 minutes. It's bad for your back to sit in the same spot for any longer than this anyway's. |
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Choose to stand more than sit. Choose to sit more than lie down. Try to choose the more active route of performing any daily task. |
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Practicing a few of these ideas will get you into better shape without putting a drain on your time bank. Take the position that every little bit counts!
Finally, consider this. For those of you who feel you don't have enough time to exercise, if you really look at your schedule, we're confident you'll find the time. It comes down to you making the time - making exercise a priority in your life. There has to be a compelling reason for you to want to make the time. You have to feel that you and your health deserve it. Are you going to wait for the by-pass, osteoporosis to set in or extreme over fatness before you find the motivation to start exercising? Find a reason today and you'll find that fitting exercise into your schedule will be a lot easier than you imagined!
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