People are getting fatter.America is supposedly suffering from an obesity epidemic.Europeans, once able to look down upon their chubby and grubby American cousins, are no longer quite as sleek and slim.Even while we talk about the wonder-working Mediterranean diet, Europeans are getting fatter too.
Nobody really wants to be overweight.Nobody really wants to be unhealthy.We all want to eat well.We want to exercise.But who has time to spend the recommended hour to an hour and a half a day to spend at the gym?There are so many other things to do: get the kids ready for school, clean the house, go to work, make lunches, make breakfast, get that work presentation ready, take the kids to lessons and soccer games, fly across the country for that work meeting, finish that report, make dinner, make sure that you have time for friends and family.We’re struggling for time as it is.How can someone fit exercise into a schedule as busy as the one that we all have?
There are some clever ways to work exercise into your busy schedule.Other than scheduling in your exercise, there are some ways that you can make exercise part of your everyday busy life.
Here are some ways.
Instead of driving to work, if it’s close, you can walk, instead.Or try biking, roller-blading, or even jogging.Pack your work clothes in your briefcase, and go.You might have to leave your house earlier, but it will be worth the extra time.
Sometimes one lives way too far away from work to bike or walk.In this case, try finding an alternative way of commuting to work.Find a local bus that will take you there, or some other form of mass transit.Then walk, bike, or jog to your bus stop.Get off the bus at an earlier stop.Then you can walk the rest of the way to work.
Use your lunch break!At one job I had, a bunch of the secretaries would get their nails done during their lunch break.But one went to the gym.Another of my coworkers would just go walk outside for a while.It’s an entire hour that you can use for exercise, rather than an hour eating the candy and the soda available in the vending machines.While sitting down.
Take the stairs!We all hear it, but how many of us do it?If you work on the 50th floor of your building, take the elevator part of the way, and then walk the rest.Walk down the stairs.
Stretch, stretch, stretch!You can do this at any time.Do stretches while you’re sitting at your desk.You can even work some in while you’re on the bus.
Play with your kids!This is a great way for both of you to get exercise.Play tag.Play a quick game of basketball.Jump rope.Run around.You’ll get closer to your kids, and they’ll appreciate it.
Work around the house.Sweep the kitchen and vacuum the living room.It might not seem like much, but raking the leaves or shoveling the snow are both great ways to work in exercise.