Surprising Ways to Sneak in Some Exercise
Sometimes working out can feel like a chore. It feels more like work and all of the fun is zapped out of it. When this happens, it might be time to sneak in some exercise. Luckily, there are some easy and surprising ways to sneak in a little bit of exercise when you just can’t find the motivation to hit the gym.
Take the Stairs
This simple step will burn way more calories than you realize. The stairs are not only great for cardio, but they majorly work your legs and glutes. The only reason that you may want to avoid this tip is if you have bad knees or hips. Otherwise, taking the stairs instead of the elevator is super healthy. If you need to go a massive amount of flights, then take the elevator part of the way and then take the stairs for the remaining time. Before long, you’ll build up tolerance, and you’ll be able to climb more and more stairs with about half of the effort.
Park at the Back
How many of us circle the parking lot until something near the front opens up? Stop! Instead, park at the very back on purpose. This will mean that you have to use a great form of exercise (walking!) to get to your destination. This is a simple and effective way to add some exercise without even giving it a second thought.
Use Commercials
Television can be fun and entertaining, especially at the end of a long day. The only problem is that, most of the time, you’re sitting on your derriere for hours at a time zoned out on tv. Instead, use the most annoying part, the commercials, to get in some exercise. When a commercial comes on, get up and do jumping jacks, push-ups, walk in place...whatever suits your fancy. Pretty soon, you’ll find that you are working enough muscles to be sore just by being active during commercials.
Play
Remember how much energy you had as a kid? Wouldn’t it be nice to have that energy again? While you might not ever have that level of energy again, you can gain some energy by playing...just like when you were a kid. If you have kids, get down and play with them! It’s tough work, and you might just find yourself sweating at the end. If you don’t have kids, get out and play with your dog. No pets? Find a group of friends and play some catch or other fun activity. When you play, you work your body so much, but you are having so much fun that you don’t even notice.
If you need a little more exercise, but just can’t make yourself get to the gym, you have other options! Use these easy ways to burn some calories and work your muscles without even thinking about it.
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Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Brad Perkins