Finding time to exercise can be challenging. Many of us place time for ourselves at the bottom of the list, making others our priorities despite the fact that we also understand, "If you canʼt take care of yourself, youʼll have a harder time taking care of others." That being said, if you understand the benefits of making time for even 10 minutes of exercise a day, you will not only feel the results, but start to see them as well!.
And for those of you who still tell me you donʼt even have 10 minutes, I am telling you that multitasking might be your answer. We talk on the phone and answer emails, we drive our cars while putting on make-up and we even eat our lunches at our desks. Maybe some of these ideas, will find their way into your daily rituals -- or make up some of your own.
With the recent study on the dangers of sitting all day, it's even more important to stand up for yourself and sneak in some minutes of exercise. Try these:
Morning
• Do pushups against the wall in the shower
• Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth; this helps build strength and balance in
the hips
• Plie while loading the dishwasher
• Squat and stand while lifting your fork or spoon eating breakfast
• Run up the stairs and walk sideways down them
Midday
• Stand up between responding to emails
• Send your doument to another print station
• Walk away from your desk at lunch -- never eat at your desk!
• Cross your opposite leg while sitting to help your spine and posture alignment
• Twist your spine by reaching around the back of your chair at the top of each hour
• Pace during conference calls
Evening
• Press your head agains the headrest while driving in the car to strengthen the neck
muscles that are weakened by hours at the computer.
• Squeeze your hands on the steering wheel at every red light or stopped traffic
• Time yourself while cleaning up the kitchen or home to see how fast you can do it
• Do crunches, plank rotations and leg lifts during the commercials while watching TV
• Do bicycle abs in bed while watching TV or reading a book
There are so many ways to "sneak" in an exercise or two throughout the day. What are some things that have worked for you? As Lao Tzu has said: "To say there is no time, is to say you really donʼt want to."
Andrea Metcalf is a healthy lifestyle expert, author or "Naked Fitness" and has appeared on NBC's Today show as a contributor more than a dozen times. As fitness consultant for BETTER TV's lifestyle program and many national magazines, she is a sought after motivational speaker and writer. Join her monthly news letter at www.andreametcalf.com.