We all know we need exercise. We can name all the benefits of it and some of us might actually enjoy doing it. But finding the time (and energy) to get to the gym, especially after a long day at school, can be a challenge.
Thankfully – NEAT to the rescue! What is NEAT? Here’s what the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has to say:
While exercise is an important form of physical activity that can burn hundreds of calories at a time, other forms of physical activity, called non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), can play a significant role in helping to maximize the total amount of calories burned in a single day.
Here are 10 ways to get more exercise throughout the day WITHOUT setting foot inside a gym!
1 – Get more “steps” into your day. If you have a FitBit or an Apple Watch, you’re probably already aware of tracking steps. Think about ways you can move more often.
Can you walk to a co-worker’s classroom instead of sending an email? Can you take your dog for an extra walk, even a short one? Can you take the recycling bin to the curb instead of asking your spouse or kids to do it? Can you park farther away from your school (or workplace), grocery store, or Target? Even just walking through Target counts for adding more steps to your day!
It doesn’t seem like much, but all that extra movement adds up! Wearing comfy shoes like Rothy’s or All Birds makes getting all those steps an enjoyable experience!
2 – When you’re watching TV, think about moving around more during the commercials. Get up and walk around, stretch. Do some calisthenics like squats, curl-ups, push-ups, or jumping jacks. You can even develop exercises to add to other tasks you do throughout the day. For example, you could do calf raises while brushing your teeth, wall push-ups while waiting for food to heat up in the microwave, or squats and lunges before you hop in the shower.
Using resistance bands or light weights makes any of these exercises more effective.
3 – Trying to find the time for a 60-minute workout (or even a 30-minute workout) might seem impossible, but what about five minutes? Or seven minutes? You could try something like Obe Fitness, SOTO Method (my new favorite), free workouts on YouTube, or the Scientific 7-Minute Workout. A few of these mini workouts per day make a big difference!
4 – If you want to try to fit in a bit of movement before your day begins, try getting up 20 minutes earlier. And if you get up 20 minutes earlier, you also need to go to bed 20 minutes earlier. Sleep is just as important as movement.
5 – Cleaning your house or doing yard work counts as a workout! Try to save up several chores and do them all in one session for the best effect.
6 – Doing yoga poses throughout the day gives you energy while stretching and strengthening your entire body. I love the Office Yoga book.
7 – Stand up while you’re working! Can you use a standing desk? Or place your laptop on some kind of counter or stack of books so that you can stand and work at the same time?
8 – If you do need to sit while working, can you use a stability ball or a wobble seat? Both of these work your core while you’re sitting.
9 – Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and move around every 30 minutes.
10 – Instead of parking close to your school (or store or Starbucks or your favorite shopping area), try parking farther away. This is an easy way to force yourself to get more steps into your day! Another tip is to take the stairs whenever possible.
Little bits of movement like these can really add up. I hope you’ve found some ideas here! And I’d love to hear any ideas for how you have added more movement into your day.