If you stop to think about the sequence of your day, as it exists right now you probably have some form of exercise already built into it. There are things that you can do to modify your daily activities so that exercise is incorporated into your everyday life. Remember, the goal is to increase your heart rate just a bit in order for something to be considered “a work-out”.
When parking your car, don’t search for the perfect parking space closest to your destination. Search for the perfect space further away from your destination. After parking, don’t stroll to the store or office, briskly walk. You’ll get there faster and you’ll get your heart rate going too. On the way back to your car, do the same thing.
When possible take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Again, don’t just walk up the stairs. Put a little spring into your step and quicken your pace as much as you can without endangering your safety. The stairs may be a bit further from your final destination, but again, walk quickly once you reach the floor your looking for. You’ll get where you’re going faster and increase your heart rate as well.
Here’s another note about stairs. Don’t become discouraged if you can’t climb all the way to the thirteenth floor. Climb as many flights as you can and then use the elevator. You have still accomplished the same goal of increasing your heart rate so you should still be proud of yourself!
If cleaning the house is on your agenda for the day then put a little more life into it. See how quickly you can finish your chores. The faster you move, the faster your heart rate will go.
Moving faster isn’t the only thing you can do - you can also accentuate your movements. For example, when bending to reach the laundry in the dryer, bend deeply as if you’re doing deep knee bends. When vacuuming, use your own muscles as resistance. Push and pull the vacuum with tightened muscles. Believe it or not, this works them out!
In addition to altering your daily routine, you can also purchase some wrist and ankle weights. These can be bought at your local sporting goods store in packages of two. They come in different weight increments ranging from 1.5 pounds each to about 5 pounds each. Wrist and ankle weights range in price from approximately $6.00 to $11.00 depending on the weight you decide to buy.
Wrist and ankle weights are easy to use. Simply wrap them around your wrist or ankle and Velcro them shut. Pants can easily hide them so you can wear them on a daily basis.
Many people still believe that joining a gym or other structured exercise facility is the only way to bring exercise into their lives. There are many things that you can do on your own to make sure that you stick with your exercise routine. One way to stick with a routine is to recruit people to work out with. Find some friends to walk with in the morning, during lunch hour, right after work, or when you get home in the evenings. Building an exercise routine with others will motivate you to continue what you’ve started.
Your kids are also great people to build an exercise routine with. Play tag with them outside or bring them to the park and climb on the equipment with them instead of sitting by and watching them have all the fun. If your children are older go out and shoot some baskets, play some tennis; throw the baseball or the Frisbee. Not only are you exercising but you are spending some quality time with your children.
You don’t need to run or walk, swim or visit your local gym everyday for hours to form an exercise routine. What you do need to do is make a conscious effort everyday to do something that gets your heart rate up above normal.
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