10 Sneaky Ways to Exercise Without Realizing You're Doing It
Making Small Lifestyle Adjustments can Have Major Effects on Wellness
We all know that we should work out at least 150 minutes per week. The struggle is actually finding the time and motivation to do it. After all, by the time we get home and eat dinner, not to mention get the kids to bed, there’s barely time left over to think let alone exercise.
If you’re not a CrossFit junkie and going on a run sounds about as fun as watching paint dry, then no worries. There are sneaky ways you can fit exercise into your day without even realizing that you’re doing it. Try any of these strategies!
1. Park Further Away
You have to go to the grocery store to get food each week anyways. Why not turn it into a workout opportunity? Rather than looking for a spot closer to the doors (and wasting valuable time), park further back and get in some extra steps.
This sneaky workout tip could also work out your arms. Load a reusable tote bag with heavy produce or canned goods and do bicep curls as you move. This can also be done with a gallon of milk. Plus, a bonus of parking farther is that stray shopping carts are less likely to ding into your car.
2. Walk and Talk
Do you spend a lot of time on the phone for work? Get up and pace back and forth instead of staying stationary at your desk. Those who are really ambitious can even drop down and do a few sets of squats as they chatter away.
The “walk and talk” is a great workout because you’re not even going to be thinking about the exercise. You’ll be too busy on the phone call to really pay attention to your increased heart rate.
3. Make Your Chores Harder
You’re probably rolling your eyes at this suggestion, but keep an open mind! Is there really a rush to getting everything done in one shot? Even if you don’t get to all your household tasks, no one is giving you a medal for having the cleanest house on the block anyway!
Turn your chores into a workout opportunity instead of powering through them. Go up the stairs extra times to put away laundry. Vacuum with one hand while using a hand weight with the other. Brainstorm a strategy and then turn it into a habit!
4. Turn TV Time Into a Full Body Workout
Nothing sounds better after a long day than parking your butt on the couch and watching TV. The couch potato life is pretty nice, but you don’t want to turn into an actual potato. Make it a point to get up and get moving!
Set an alarm to go off every 10 minutes and do some kind of 5-minute body weight exercise. Lunges, pushups, squats, situps, jumping jacks, and burpees are all great options here. Rotate between a few and do 3 sets of each in the time it takes your show or movie to be over.
5. Play With Your Kids or Pets
Kids and pets are cute, and they’re workout gear in disguise. You can get more physical activity in your day by simply spending quality time with those you love.
Pushing your kids on the swing or playing fetch with your dog count as forms of exercise. Better yet, kick things up a notch by setting up a safe obstacle course, “American Ninja Warrior” style. You can do it with your kids or pet to get your heart pumping.
6. Be Active When Catching Up With Friends
You may usually meet up with the girls to get drinks or hit a new Mexican restaurant with excellent guacamole. Mix things up by planning a more active social outing with your friends.
Go bowling, book a laser tag hour, mini golf, or go on a walk through a forest preserve. You’ll still have plenty of downtime to talk with your friends, but you’re doing something that’s more physically challenging than eating, drinking, and gossiping.
7. Squat While Brushing Your Teeth
Brush, rinse, floss, and squat. You can get some seriously sculpted quad muscles by holding a sumo squat while brushing your teeth.
Put your legs far apart and sink down low. Get up to spit and then resume the squat when you’re back to brushing again. If you’re brushing as long as you should be, then that’s at least four minutes of exercise every morning and evening. It may not seem like much, but anything’s better than nothing!
8. Do a 10-Minute Power Workout Before You Eat Lunch
Chances are, you don’t need the full 30 minutes to an hour you get to eat lunch at work. After you’re done with your food, you probably pass the time by idly scrolling on Facebook or reading a book.
Turn your lunch into a workout opportunity! There are plenty of quick HIIT workouts on YouTube that you can do before you start eating. You’ll be amazed at how much better your meal tastes after you’ve exercised.
9. Plank While You Wait
Waiting is part of life. At work, you may need to wait on the printer or scanner to finish a job. At home, you wait on the microwave or on a pot of water to boil. Maybe you’re waiting in the lobby at a doctor’s appointment.
Whenever you have a few minutes of waiting time, use it as an opportunity to squeeze in a fast full-body workout. Planks are incredible since you need no equipment, and you exercise your core, glutes, legs, and arms, all in one minute.
10. Break Out Into Dance
Crank up the music and dance around as you normally go about your day. You’re not altering any part of your schedule, and you’re getting a great cardio workout at the same time.
Dancing is fun and it’s an easy way to burn calories without committing to a full workout. Create a playlist that gets you moving and grooving! You can even get the whole family to join the party.
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