Strategies For Fitting Exercise Into a Busy Schedule
When it comes to exercising, most of us feel that we don’t have the time or the energy to do it. However, the exercises that I am going to show you in this video are things that can be incorporated right into the daily routines that you already have. No need to carve out chunks of time to hit the gym or do a 45-minute workout. These are quick, simple adaptations to the things that you are already doing anyway. But with these methods, you will be able to see and feel a real difference in your body and your energy levels. So let’s jump right in!
- Stretch in bed for 30-60 seconds before getting up.
- If you don’t have 30-60 SECONDS to spare in your morning routine, you’re not doing life right! Recalculate your route! If needed, set your alarm one minute earlier than you usually do. You won’t miss the one minute of sleep, but starting your day with gentle stretching will help you to destress and feel more calm and ready for the day.
- While lying on your back in the bed, stretch your legs out as far as you can and point your toes, while stretching your arms above your head for about 5 seconds, then release the stretch. Remember to take slow, deep breaths all throughout your stretching.
- Next, focus on pulling your right arm up while simultaneously pulling down with your right leg to give the right side of your body a good stretch for about 5 seconds, then release the stretch. Remember, don’t hold your breath! Keep breathing throughout.
- Now repeat the same steps on the left side of your body.
- Roll your ankles in outward circles for about 5 seconds.
- Roll out your wrists for about 5 seconds.
- At this point, you have stretched for 30 seconds. Taking this time in the morning to stop and stretch instead of launching out of bed to the sound of your alarm will do wonders for helping you to start your day with a sense of peace and calm. If desired, repeat these steps a second time, or add in your own set of stretches. Stretch in whatever way feels good to your body. The purpose of this exercise is not to have you doing full splits next week! It is to help you allow your body to slowly wake up, and to take just a few seconds in the morning to start your day with a calm and peaceful attitude. This will set the tone for the rest of your morning. Don’t skip it!
- When I get out of bed in the morning, one of the first things I do is unload the dishwasher. No matter what time of day you tend to tackle this chore, try using the following technique to get a little more out of it.
- As you are unloading your dishwasher, do squats to reach the dishes on the bottom shelf instead of bending at the waist to pick them up.
- Remember to use proper form: legs wide, toes in a natural turnout (DON’T FORCE!) Don’t let your knees go past your toes. You are aiming for right angles in the knees. Also be sure to keep your knees in line with your toes, and not let them bow in or out when they bend. If you lean forward, you’ll work your thighs, but not your buns. If you stay straight up and down with your pelvis tucked under as you squat, you will feel it in your tush as well.
- Next, try doing some torso twists when you are putting away the dishes in the cabinets.
- STOP and listen before you do this!!! You MUST tighten your core before twisting, or you could end up hurting yourself! To do this, stand up straight, envisioning that there is a fishing line pulling straight up out of your sternum and straight toward the ceiling. Now pull your bellybutton toward your spine. Hold those muscles tight while you twist. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TWISTING MOTIONS WITHOUT DOING THIS!!!
- Why twist? Twisting motions in the torso actually stimulate digestion and increase your metabolism! This can help you to clear out constipation, burn calories faster and have more energy. Who knew, right?!
- Switching the laundry is another great opportunity to sneak in a few reps of exercise. You can do side lunges while moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer. Remember to follow all of the same rules that we talked about with the dishwasher squats! Feet spread wide apart, toes in a natural turnout, and don’t let your knees go beyond your toes while lunging. Aim for that 90 degree angle. And again, be sure to keep your knees in line with your toes, and not let them bow in or out when they bend.
- You could also do this same exercise while rocking a baby or turn it into a fun “ride” for a toddler! You can call it “The Blastoff Game” or “The Catapult Game” or something like that. Because my youngest child is 14 years old at this point, I just borrowed one of her stuffed animals to demonstrate the toddler version. 😊
- When walking up the steps, do 4 or 5 knee raises on each side as you travel up the steps. PLEASE HOLD ON TO THE RAILING!!! PLEASE DON’T FALL DOWN YOUR STEPS!!!
- Knee raises will not only give you a larger range of motion in your hips, but they are a great ab workout as well!
- After getting your laundry out of the dryer, do 5 quick arm curls with the full laundry basket before setting it down. It will literally only take you about 7 seconds, but you will be getting some good upper body muscle-building time in.
Now I know that some of you are still going to say that you don’t have the time or the energy to do all of these things, so let’s address those concerns. Most of these exercises will add less than 10 seconds to your daily routine. It LITERALLY takes you MORE than 10 seconds to make your excuses about why you don’t have time to do it, so clearly you DO have the time, you are just not making your health a priority.
As for the lack of energy, you gain energy by moving and using energy. It sounds backwards, but it’s true. If you are lacking in the energy department, get up and start moving. That’s the best way to GAIN energy.
Another way to gain energy is to clean up your diet, but that, my friends, is a topic for next week’s video! Make sure you’re subscribed and have your notifications turned on so you don’t miss out on that one!
Let’s start the new year off right by making better health a priority. Your physical health affects every aspect of your life: your relationships, your energy levels, your mood, your emotional and mental health, and your ability to take care of and enjoy time with the people you love. By making small, simple changes that are attainable AND sustainable, you can increase your quality of life in all of these areas! I hope that you continue to join me for the rest of this series throughout the month of January where we will be focusing on ways to take better care of your health, even in the midst of a very hectic schedule.
I hope this video is helpful to you! Let me know in the comments which exercises you try and what you think of them. Also, please give this video a like and share it with your friends if you found it helpful. Thanks for watching, guys, and I’ll see you in the next one! God bless!
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