4 minute read
Susan Gazerro
By: Susan Gazerro
Time; we never seem to have enough of it. Yet, time is what’s needed to fit even the shortest of exercise sessions into the busiest of schedules. It’s so easy to let this one most important thing slip, if you haven’t put time aside to do it. But, you’re never too busy to exercise. It’s about your health. There are fun ways to get active. You just have to create an exercise plan that works for you. Trust me, you will feel better and happier at the end of each session. NO doubt! The World Health Organization recommends that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise each week. You should also do strength exercises on two or more days per week. This may seem like a lot, but I’m going to break it down for you. I also want to express that weight training is not about getting bulky, it’s about burning fat, while you do the weight training exercises. Weight training activates the muscles and you continue to burn fat for an average up to do two days after you are done working out. This, obviously, depends on your size, height, and weight, and will vary slightly. Make sure you do enough to average 30 minutes a day of exercise, five times a week. You can meet these targets by exercising in shorter bouts of at least 10 minutes each, spread across the week. It’s not that difficult. You find time for everything else, right? This is about being healthy. Keep reminding yourself of that. You must move your body. Your body is like anything else. Unused and it will rust! Here are 7 ways to workout, even when you think you have no time. There IS always time.
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1. Start early.
Wake up a few minutes earlier than usual and do a ten minute workout. Jumping jacks, go for a ten minute walk, do some abs, or mix it up with all the above. When you kick start your day with a workout, you feel so much better! Walk as much as you can. Whether it’s to work, on lunch break, or on a mental break during the day, walk! If you can avoid taking a train or cab, do it and walk. If it’s bad weather, yes, commute another way, but whenever the weather permits, use your body as much as you can. Park far away from any entrance and walk. I repeat this often, but especially at the grocery store because you then can carry your bags to your car, and that is your weight workout, with some cardio.
3. Be Prepared.
Keep a pair of sneakers and workout gear at work so you can do a little exercise during your lunch hour. Take a walk outside, try a short fitness or yoga class before lunch, or make use of a spare meeting room, and do 15 minutes of body resistance exercises.
4. Fast exercise is still healthy exercise.
Try interval training instead of longer cardio workouts to reap the benefits of aerobic exercise. To do this, alternate short bursts of intense activity with longer breaks of moderate activity. If you’re somewhat fit already, why not take a brisk walk and add in short bursts of jogging or running? Not
only will you improve your fitness and burn calories, you’ll complete your workout in a shorter amount of time.
5. Involve the family and friends.
Your family and friends also need to get their daily dose of exercise so why not suggest football in the park or a game of frisbee on the way home? Exercise doesn’t need to be planned or take place in a gym.
6. Take advantage of waiting time.
If you’re waiting for your dinner to cook or are bored of staring at TV ads, during a commercial break, take the opportunity to do a little exercise. Break into a dance, run in place, do pushups or star jumps. It all counts towards your weekly exercise target.
7. Look beyond cardio.
Resist focusing only on cardio, as strength training is also important. You don’t even need to use weights, as your body weight is just as effective as free weights or machines. Set aside 5 minutes during the day to do 10 to 15 sit-ups, lunges, push-ups, and squats. Once you start making this a priority, it will become part of your lifestyle and you will actually be upset if you miss a day that wasn’t a planned day off. I’m okay with a planned day off, but if something happens that interrupts my planned workout, I don’t feel right mentally or physically, for the entire day. You will love the new you!
