How can I exercise easily?
Whether you're new to exercising or are just super busy and can't, therefore, find much time to get active, it can help to have a few simple fitness strategies up your sleeve.
To help with this, today I'm taking a look at how you can exercise easily - for some of these activities you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home!
My simplest exercise tips include:
- Walk a dog
- Do weights with your shopping
- Fidget more
- Move around the house
- Follow an exercise video
- Try hamstring curls
- Have a kick-about
- Dance
- Stretch
- Walk for 5 minutes.
1. Walk a dog
For some people, a dog provides the motivation to get out and exercise. If you don't own a dog, ask to stroll with a neighbour or friend who does. Borrow My Doggy is also becoming increasingly popular. Once you've signed up to this website, dog owners in your area can ask for helping walking their pet.
2. Do weights with your shopping
When carrying the shopping in from your car, do some simple bicep curls and shoulder shrugs with the heavy bags. Over time, this can help to build up strength in the upper arm muscles, without you ever having to visit a gym!
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3. Fidget more!
Those who are prone to fidgeting tend to burn more calories and have a lower body weight according to research.1 Fidgeting can be anything from changing posture to stretching regularly.
4. Move around the house
Keep yourself active by moving around the house more. You could walk aound during television adverts, whilst brushing your teeth, when talking on the phone or when waiting for the kettle to boil. It's time to turn stationary activities into active ones!
5. Follow an exercise video
Exercise videos are widely available online and most of the time they are free to use too. This is ideal if you don't have the time to travel to an exercise class as you can just schedule in a quick video whenever you have some free time.
Click here for some more easy-to-follow exercise videos.
6. Try hamstring curls
If you own a reclining chair or sofa, try practicing hamstring curls using the foot rest mechanism as resistance.
Lying on your front, bring your ankles up towards your buttocks, but stop short halfway. Hold here for 10 seconds and then lower your legs down again. Repeat these movements 10 times.
I really like this exercise because you can do it whilst watching the tv - easy peasy!
7. Have a kick-about
Get the family together and head into your garden or a local park with a ball for a kick-about. Not only is this a lot of fun, it's a great way to socialise as well. Plus, exercising outdoors comes with its own set of unique benefits – from improving mood to decreasing stress!
8. Dance
Pop on some music and dance around the living room with your children, grandkids or nieces and nephews. Again, this can be really fun and is a good way to get the whole family moving.
9. Stretch
To avoid spending long hours sitting still, try stretching whilst watching the tv or sitting at your desk. Not sure what kind of stretches to do? Check out some of the stretches below or read my blog on easy stretches to do at your desk!
10. Walk for at least 5 minutes
Finally, when you have some spare time, walk away from your house for at least five minutes. It doesn't matter where you go, the key is just to get moving. When five minutes are up, head back home and that's a ten-minute workout over without much effort at all. Remember to walk quickly and I'm sure, before you know it, you'll be going for much longer strolls!
References
1 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/01/990119080449.htm
Results: How easy do you find it to get enough exercise?
