Welcome to another Motivation Monday. Everyone’s biggest excuse is that they don’t have enough time to workout. But you CAN find the time. Frankly, you MUST find the time. Your health is too important to ignore.
If you work full time. It can be challenging to get in workouts during the week. I have a friend who is up at 5am for her workouts, that’s not me, but for some, that’s the ticket to success. You need to find what will work for you.
Can’t workout at all during the week? Try to be a “weekend warrior” with at least 60 minutes of exercise on Saturdays and Sundays. I love family hikes and bike rides for this.
There are a variety of ways you can fit movement into each day. Even just 20 minutes can make a big difference. Here are some ways to add a little extra movement into your life.
– Workout at your desk. My friend Sarah Jane created a great little office workout. Check it out!
– Take walking breaks at work. Always choose the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk the hallways whenever you have a short break or make short breaks to do so.
– Park your car as far away as possible to add walking into your day at work, the grocery store, wherever you have this option.
– Walk with a friend at lunch
– If you sit a lot, spend at least part of the day on an exercise ball instead of your regular chair
– Start your day with a little yoga. Here is a great rise-and-shine routing to get the blood flowing and burn some calories.
– Have a dance party in your kitchen – put on some great music while you make dinner and dance around between the stove, fridge, sinks, etc.
– Vacuum – even if you don’t “need” to.
A 150 pound person can burn approximately 238 calories per hour vacuuming the house. Of course you are not likely to vacuum for an hour, but you get the picture.
I am not saying that you will drop a ton of weight with these methods, but if these ideas get you away from your desk or off the couch for a bit each day, that is my point. I’ve been really stressed lately without much time to get to the gym so I can totally relate. I’ve been vacuuming, and taking extra flights of stairs whenever possible.
What other ways do you try to move when you can’t find the time tor formally exercise? What helps motivate you to get moving? Let us know in a comment.
I love it! I really need some motivation too!
love thhis post and i am guilty of always saying tomorrow :/ i need to work on that because my tomorrows turn into weeks and months
This is a great post! You’re right that finding time is so important. And if we’ll just make it a priority, we’ll manage to find the time. Literally, the only time I can run is at 4:45 in the morning… so that’s when you’ll find me running the dark streets of my neighborhood. lol And I love your tips for getting active!
An active lifestyle is definitely more than just a fitness program and yes, making the time to be active in a variety of ways is truly the way to a healthy lifestyle. Great article!!
I find the best way to prevent procrastination is to set small goals rather than big ones. So instead of setting a goal of getting up at 5am for a 2 hour workout when you’ve never done that before, start off by taking the stairs at the mall instead of the escalator. If it’s less than a mile, walk instead of driving. Baby steps…
Ugh! I wouldn’t make it through the day without my frequent walks! I don’t know how other people do it!!
Thanks Jenn, it’s so important to remember to take some time to keep ourselves healthy. And most of us really want to – but just get so caught up in the “rat race” that we forget! Great job reminding us!
i have been making time to workout over lunch! but these are some great tips to get in workouts too!
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
My kids just started swimming lessons, and I am excited that I have 30 minutes to walk the track while I wait on them. It’s so hard to find the child-free time to exercise!
Okay I am integrating that desk workout, great video!
I have been trying hard to stop myself from saying tomorrow! It is something I used to do a lot..procrastinate!
I need to get back to starting my day with yoga. I felt so good when I did it! Thanks for the inspiration!
you know, every little bit helps. Especially if you lack motivation to do a traditional workout. Just getting up and moving can make a big difference between staying level at your weight versus gaining. These are great tips and I try to incorporate a lot of them into my daily routine.
I love the dancing while cleaning and cooking. I do it all the time!
Oh my OCD is happy to hear that vacuuming burns that many calories! I do need to stop making excuses and get more active. It’s been a long year filled with injuries and I am just dying to move!
All great tips! I have found also that choosing the restroom at work where I have to go up a flight of stairs gets me moving a little more. Taking a walk at lunch has been a great way to refresh and be ready to get the afternoon work done. I find I am more productive after that instead of just eating in the break room.
Great idea on choosing a restroom on a different floor. Thanks for sharing.