10 Simple Ways to Sneak More Exercise into Your Day

Introduction

Exercise is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. It improves your mood, helps you lose weight and lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. But it can be hard to fit in time for exercise when you’re busy with work or family commitments.

1. Take the Stairs

Climbing stairs is a great way to get exercise during work or school breaks, and even a few minutes can help. It burns 100 calories per hour and strengthens leg muscles while improving balance. To avoid taking the elevator too often, count the number of people exiting the elevator before you get on, and count again as each person exits until you’re the only one left. This trick will help you avoid long waits for the elevator.

2. Get Off the Bus/Train One Stop Early

If you’re lucky enough to live in a city with public transportation, this tip can be especially helpful. Get off the bus or train one stop early and walk the rest of the way home. You’ll burn more calories than if you had stayed on board, and it will give your legs a great workout! If walking isn’t an option for whatever reason (maybe it’s too cold outside), try biking instead. You’ll still get some exercise while getting where you need to go–and if there’s no bike rack at work or school, consider taking one with wheels on it so that all those stairs won’t be an issue anymore!

3. Walk During Lunch

Walking during lunch is a great way to get exercise and reduce stress. Start with short walks around the block or office building. If you want more of a challenge, walk at a faster pace to burn more calories and strengthen your leg muscles faster. Set goals to stay motivated, like going for an hour walk every day this week.

4. Stand During Meetings

• Calories burned: Standing burns more calories than sitting. According to the Mayo Clinic, you can burn an extra 150 calories per day by standing instead of sitting for two hours each day.
• Muscles worked: You’re using your leg muscles when you stand, so they get a workout too! Your calves and thighs will get stronger as well as your back muscles (which are used to support yourself).
• Tips to make it easier: It’s hard at first but once you get into the habit of standing up often during meetings or while talking on the phone, it becomes second nature. If possible, ask someone else in the meeting room if they would mind if everyone stood up for part of their meeting time–this way no one person has to feel awkward about asking everyone else if they want to stand up together!

5. Do Desk Exercises

If you’re stuck at a desk all day, it’s easy to forget that your body needs exercise too. But even if you have no time for a full workout, there are simple ways to sneak in some movement during the workday. Try these tips:

• Sit up straight and roll your shoulders back while holding a pen or pencil in each hand. Lift one arm up over your head, then lower it down slowly as far as possible (without causing pain). Repeat with the other arm until both feel loose and relaxed–this will help loosen tight muscles around the neck and upper back that can cause headaches or shoulder pain later on!
• Stand up once every hour for five minutes at a time–it’s not just good for circulation but also gives tired feet some much-needed rest from being on them all day long!

6. Do Household Chores

This is a great way to sneak in some exercise and keep your house clean at the same time! The calories you burn doing household chores depend on what you’re doing, but they’re usually quite low. However, they will help improve your strength and flexibility while working different muscles than those used during other forms of exercise. If possible, try to take advantage of this opportunity by choosing chores that use multiple muscle groups at once (like vacuuming) or ones that require more effort than usual (like scrubbing floors).

7. Take the Dog for a Walk

• Taking the dog for a walk is a great way to sneak in some exercise. Not only will you be getting your heart rate up, but walking also strengthens muscles and improves balance.
• Calories burned: The average person burns about 100 calories per mile when walking at 3 mph (about 4 km/h). That’s the equivalent of an hour on an elliptical machine or treadmill! Muscles worked: When taking your dog for a walk. Make sure you’re not just letting them do all of the work. You should be lifting them up over obstacles like curbs or stairs so that both of you get some exercise in!
• Tips for making it easier: If possible, find routes where there aren’t any steep hills. This will help keep things comfortable for both parties involved (and prevent injuries).

8. Take a Break During TV Time

• Calories burned: About 100 per hour
• Muscles worked: Legs, arms, abs and back
• Tips to make it easier: If you’re not used to exercising while watching TV, start small. For example, try doing some squats or lunges during commercials. Then work your way up from there!

9. Park Further Away

Parking further away from your destination is a great way to sneak in some extra exercise. It’s especially helpful if you have a long walk from the parking lot. Because it will give your legs a good workout before even reaching the door! Calories burned: 10-15 per hour (depending on speed) Muscles worked: Glutes, quadriceps, and calves

10. Make Use of Waiting Time

• Calories burned: Waiting is a great time to get in some extra exercise. If you’re standing, you can do some light stretching or walking in place. If you’re sitting down, try doing some exercises that use the muscles in your arms and legs. Like flexing them up and down or lifting them off the chair seat to burn more calories.
• Muscles worked: Exercises that use both large muscle groups and smaller ones will help build strength throughout the body. While also burning more calories than less intense movements would do alone. For example, if you’re waiting at a stoplight with another car beside yours and there’s enough space between them for one person to walk between them without touching either vehicle’s hoods or trunks (or rear bumpers). Try walking back and forth between these two cars instead of just sitting still! This simple trick can help boost metabolism by increasing heart rate. While giving those tired legs a break from standing all day long.
• Tips: Here are some tips for making this strategy work well for everyone involved:
  • Be careful not to bump into anyone else who might be trying. Especially if they look like they could get angry about it!

Reference

Here are the links to the studies and research mentioned in the article:

1. Taking the stairs: Physical activity and public health: a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875913 The effects of stair climbing on arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and leg strength in postmenopausal women with stage 2 hypertension: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27093854
2. Get off the bus/train one stop early: The effectiveness of active and public transport for promoting physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4449495/ Physical activity and public health: a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875913
3. Walk during lunch: Effect of walking on coronary heart disease in elderly men: the Honolulu Heart Program: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1570354 The effects of walking on coronary heart disease in elderly men: the Honolulu Heart Program: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1570354
4. Stand during meetings: The effects of standing on arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and leg strength in postmenopausal women with stage 2 hypertension: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27093854 The effects of prolonged sitting on the metabolic health of sedentary adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404815/
5. Do desk exercises: The effects of a chair-based exercise program on the physical function of older adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23405975 The effects of resistance training on muscle strength and endurance in sedentary adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16937975
6. Do household chores: The impact of household chores on physical activity levels and health outcomes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22211016 Physical activity and health: a review of the literature: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14672833
7. Take the dog for a walk: The benefits of dog ownership for physical activity and health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21444318 The effects of dog ownership on physical activity and cardiovascular health in older adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21967499
8. Take a break during TV time: The effects of interrupting sedentary behavior on cardiovascular risk factors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24384539 Physical activity and health: a review of the literature: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14672833
9. Park further away: The effects of parking further away on physical activity levels and cardiovascular health: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21729894 Physical activity and public health: a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875913
10. Make use of waiting time: The effects of physical activity on metabolic health in sedentary adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16002825 Physical activity and health: a review of the literature: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14672833