9 Easy Ways to Fit in More Fitness

Posted on Jun 20th 2011 12:00PM by Health.com

Filed Under: Fitness

By Tina Haupert for Health.com

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Over the weekend, my husband and I participated in a 5K road race with our pug, Murphy. Yep, you read that right -- our little pug finished 3.1 miles! He's one buff dog!

I enjoyed the event so much, I couldn't help but think about other ways to incorporate fun, easy fitness into my life. I know exercise is essential to maintaining my weight and improving my overall health, but with my busy schedule, it's tough to fit in fitness. Sometimes hitting the gym feels like an impossible task!

I don't want to skip out on my weight loss and fitness goals altogether, so I found a number of easy ways to fit fitness into my everyday life.

Speed Walk Your Errands
Instead of eating lunch at my desk, I lace up my sneakers and do my daily errands on foot during my lunch break. I use my to-do list to map out a walking route, grab my wallet and iPod and head outside for an hour of heart-pumping activity.

Sometimes I need to drive to a shopping area first, but then I cruise around on foot checking items off my list. I love that getting my errands and workout out of the way frees up my evening for some serious relaxation!

Play in the Park
Instead of meeting friends for happy hour after work, we head to the park for a couple of hours of play. We bring a Frisbee or bocce set and play a few rounds together. This way, I can incorporate some activity into my social life -- and avoid those cocktail calories!

Stand and Flex
When waiting in line at the grocery store or bank (or any other establishment), I flex my abs for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times.

It helps make the time pass, and it's a quick and easy way to work your core without anyone noticing.

Go the Long Way
You've probably heard this one before, but it really works: Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find a parking spot far away from your building so you get a little extra walking. If you ride the bus or subway to work, get off a stop before your office and walk the extra distance.

It might take you a little more time to get to your destination, but all of those extra steps really add up!

Email and Call Less
When I worked in an office, instead of calling or emailing a coworker, I would get up from my desk and walk over to chat with them. Usually, we got a lot more accomplished in a quick in-person meeting and I burned a few calories walking to their desk.

It might not seem like a lot of activity, but all of those small steps can equal big gains when they're continued all day long.

Nix the Shopping Cart
If I don't have a huge shopping list, I nix the cart and use two reusable bags to carry my groceries. I throw a bag over each shoulder and walk around the grocery store collecting items. Carrying two heavy bags is a great workout, and at the same time, I get my grocery shopping done for the week.

Wake Up and Give Me 50
Before I get into the shower in the morning, I do 50 crunches and push-ups on the floor of my bedroom. It takes me only about five minutes to complete, but it sets the tone for my day.

Plus, if I can't fit in a full workout for the day -- at least I did something!

Add 15 Minutes to Fido's Walk
I walk my dog every morning before work. On the days when I know it'll be tough to fit in a workout, I add an extra 15 minutes to our walk and I make sure that I get the most bang for my buck by power walking or running those extra steps. And, of course, Murphy loves the extra exercise too!

Be a Weekend Warrior
It's easier to fit in a workout on the weekend, but not when your household tasks take over most of your free time. Instead of missing out on a workout, I turn these tasks into exercise.

For instance, I wash the car by hand rather than taking it to the car wash and I mow the lawn with a push mower instead of asking my husband to do it. These tasks sometimes take me more than an hour to complete, but I know I've gotten in some exercise for the day!

More from Health.com:
10 Small Diet and Exercise Tricks That Get Big Results
10 Easy Ways to Burn Calories This Summer Without Going to the Gym
Cut 500 Calories a Day

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

angie 6-20-2011 @ 12:31PM

It is a very nice post to share. and quite informative as lots of people are unaware of such facts. really appreciating.
Keep sharing such information. will be looking forward for some more. thanks

Barbara 6-25-2011 @ 9:12AM

Crunches, curls and sit-ups
may be standard workout fare in gyms,
basements and living rooms across the land.

But the authors of a new book suggest people
get plenty of that movement in their daily lives.
They say to get a really strong midsection the
back of the body needs to be worked.

"Sitting at desks, working on computers,
waiting in traffic, we are continually
contracting our abs, throwing our shoulders
forward and, ultimately, shutting down the
back of the body, said Dr. Eric Goodman, co-
author with Peter Park of "Foundation:
Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and
Move with Confidence."

"If we're going to keep our posture and our
spines strong, it has to be done by exercising t
he back of the body as the core of the body,"
explained Goodman, a chiropractor based in
Santa Barbara, California.

The exercises illustrated in the book require
no machines or equipment and take the spine
as the body's center of stability. In the
signature, or founder exercise, knees are bent
over ankles, the body hinges from the hip
joint, and movement originates in the pelvis,

hips and hip joints.

"You're sticking your butt out on everything,"
explained Park, a trainer and owner of
Platinum Fitness gyms, said. "We're aiming for
the posterior chain."

Park is cycling great Lance Armstrong's
strength and conditioning coach. The seven-
time Tour de France winner wrote the
foreword for the book.

"Lance needed it more than anybody," Park
said of the workout. "It opened him up. (With
his) rounded back, rounded shoulders he
almost looked funny off the bike."

The exercises are designed to augment, rather
than replace, a regular fitness regime,
Goodman said.

"We don't want people to stop doing yoga or
Pilates. If you're currently doing cardio or
other training just add foundation to it,"
Goodman said. "If you're doing it properly, 20
minutes is plenty. It's hard."

Samantha 6-25-2011 @ 3:36PM

After years of trying every product and method you ever heard of to lose weight I read about something that was based on the HCG fat burning pregnancy hormone. A friend who lost a lot of weight using sent me a link ( HTTP://tinyurl.com/HCGUltra ) to read about it. I was very skeptical because nothing I ever bought to help me lose weight worked. In any case, I took a shot and the results have been life changing. I never thought I would be anything but the "fat friend" but I lost my weight and have kept it off......

angie 6-20-2011 @ 12:33PM

And one more thing i would like to add, i use some iphone apps for fitness exercises which i really like and want to share.
www.mobilemediacity.com/portfolio/health

sheri 6-20-2011 @ 5:26PM

Another great and easy way to fit in fitness is to take audio yoga classes with you anywhere!

I.AM.YOU. offers challenging, transformative classes on Itunes, from 15 to 60 minutes editions. Check them out on Itunes under artist I.AM.YOU. Studio.

Job Search and Interview Tips 6-22-2011 @ 4:34AM

Nice. Glad I've found this article. thumbs up!

Sammy 6-25-2011 @ 9:10AM

These actually all are surprisingly easy. Except the one about doing 50 pushups XD. I'm lucky if I can do 1 good one, with going down all the way, hovering, and pushing back up without sticking my butt up in the air. Maybe "girl pushups" to start :P?

Lon 6-25-2011 @ 11:33AM

Just a tip: I don't recommend washing your car by hand. All those poisonous chemicals from the detergent seep into the ground. Not very safe! It's also more efficient use of water to go to the automated car wash, where they have a cycle that filters and reuses water. I don't mean to preach, but people often don't realize how their daily activities wreak havoc on the environment. Maybe next time hand detailing your car would be a better practice?

CB Davis 6-26-2011 @ 6:30PM

but ... how about taking the stairs instead of elevator/escalator, parking at the first available spot (instead of driving around for 15 min trying to find the closest to the store), better yet just walking there instead and carrying your purchases home in a backpack), raking your leaves instead of using a leaf blower, shoveling instead of a snow blower, push mower instead of a gas-powered mower... All of which are much better for the environment too!

Ted 6-25-2011 @ 3:07PM

Partner dancing. The dance community, ballroom, salsa, country are obviously not couch potatoes.

As a result they are a positive group of people from all walks of life. Many are self-made people of money.

In the 7 1/2 years in Houston I have not smelled cigerette smoke on anyone. I dance 3 nights, sometimes 4 nights a week and am an extreemly fit 68 year old. I dance 3 hours straight each evening and am a full time consultant in the day.

When I started back to dancing (ballroom) 7 1/2 years ago I lost 40 pounds in 6 months and have not gained any of it back.

Dancing is not a repetitive sport, it requires mind as well as body excercise. In UK and in the States there is dance therepy for Alzheirmers which has major impact on the brain and body at the same time.