We hear time and time again that exercise is good for us. The problem is that it can be difficult to fit exercise into our daily lives. From personal experience, I find it difficult to do 30 minutes of exercise every day. That 30 minutes doesn’t have to be completed at one time. Here are 10 daily moves to help you do 30 minutes a day and stay fit!
1. Walk on the Spot While Waiting for the Kettle
“A watched pot never boils” was a saying that I grew up hearing in my house. Well, it does but it always seems to take much longer when you wait for it and it generally takes a couple of minutes so use it wisely. Walk on the spot or move around the kitchen in some way while you wait for the water to boil.
2. Don’t Juggle All the Plates at Once
Humans are lazy by nature and want to do everything as quickly and in as few moves as possible. I was always guilty of trying to balance all the plates and cups from my bedroom to the kitchen when I was younger – usually breaking something on the way! By leaving some and going back, you will increase the amount of steps you do during the day to help you stay fit.
3. Take the Stairs
There may be an elevator at work, but keep your body in shape by taking the stairs instead. It may take you longer, but you will feel the benefit over time. I’ve found that the stairs are sometimes the quicker option since you don’t have to wait for the elevator to reach your floor and then stop at everyone else’s floor!
4. Park Further Away
Remember my note on humans are lazy by nature? When going grocery shopping, parking at work or even at home if you park on the street, it is likely that you always try to find a parking space that is closest to your destination. Stay fit by parking further away. That will add in an extra couple of minutes to your day (depending on the size of the parking lot!). Better yet, start walking to work!
5. Take Some Time to Play with Your Children
Children like to play games, and it is important for them to get exercise every day. Encourage that and help yourself by playing a game with them every day. Mix and match throughout the week to fit your schedule, their needs and the weather. Kicking a ball around the park or playing tag in the back garden will help keep you and them fit.
6. Do the Yard and House Work
You will be surprised by the amount of energy you burn while doing chores! You will constantly move around when doing these, whether you are raking the leaves or vacuuming the floors.
7. Dance Around Like You Just Don’t Care
This is something I do to start my day. It wakes me up and gets me ready for a new day. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks and think of it as exercise! This is also great if you have had a bad day and want to blow off some steam at the end of it.
8. Go for a Walk
Instead of sitting in the work cafeteria for your lunch, take a walk. This could easily take up 10 to 20 minutes of your day, will help you freshen up in the middle of your day and will help you enjoy your food more when you get back. If you sit down for the majority of your working day, stand up and walk around the office on a regular basis to reduce eye strain and get the blood pumping back to your legs.
9. Clench Those Muscles
Tone your buttocks and legs by clenching the muscles. This could be just before you get up, just before you go to bed or while you are sitting at your desk at work. Start with 10 repetitions and hold for three seconds at first and increase the number of repetitions as you build up the muscles.
10. Let Your Body Rest
Your body will need to rest to stay fit. If you are ill or exhausted, don’t push yourself to do your daily moves; let your body recover. While the average human needs about eight hours sleep a night, everybody is different. Determine the amount you need to feel refreshed and ready to start a new day.
It is possible to get 30 minutes of exercise into a day with simple moves. Do these every day and you will soon feel fitter and healthier – and you may just lose some weight!
