Life has a way of becoming busy. Between office hours, meeting up with friends and taking the kids to ballet or soccer practice, time needed to keep yourself healthy and fit begins to dwindle. Changing outfits, hopping in the car and spending an hour or more at the gym takes more time than you can afford in your weekly routine. However, just because your schedule is demanding does not mean you cannot stay fit. In fact, with a busy schedule it is more important than ever to remain healthy and full of energy.
Here are several ways to stay fit on the go:
- Morning Yoga
Before you leave in the morning for work or to drop the kids off at school, take some time to find inner peace and outer flexibility. Here are several yoga positions to get you started. As soon as your feet hit the floor, instead of heading to brush your teeth, drop beside your bed to greet the morning with a smile and deep breathing,
- 30 Minute Spin Class
Purchasing compact and versatile equipment for in-home use is a quick and efficient way to slide a workout into your weekly calendar. Utilizing a stationary bike will elevate your heart rate and strengthen core and lower body muscles. Perfect for a thirty-minute session, you can even search for spin class tutorials on YouTube and feel the same intensity you would in a class setting. The best part: it does not disrupt your daily routine.
- Quick Dance Party
Zumba and hip hop are exceptional cardio workouts. With plenty of online tutorials to choose from, spice up your day with a dance party. Even if you do not feel like you are a great dancer, this exercise is still for you. Fit a dance off in-between chores or helping the kids with homework. Not only are you exercising, but if you find yourself sitting most of the day (driving, using the computer, etc.) fitting a break in between these periods is crucial to your overall health. It relieves stress, releasing toxins that build up throughout the day.
Here are some of the best dance workout routines. Check them out and start dancing!
- Clean and Exercise
Chores are part of your daily routine. Turn unloading the dishwasher or vacuuming the floor into a form of exercise. Incorporate lunges when you mop or do five jumping jacks after you dust a piece of furniture. The wonderful bonus about working out and cleaning is that you already clean, so you do not even have to set aside time for a workout!
- Bodyweight Workout
Dumbbells or a bench press are not even needed for this strengthening workout. Consisting of jumping jacks, lunges, squats, planks and pushups, bodyweight workouts provide cardio and build muscle. Additionally, you can do it anywhere.
- Take the Stairs
Feel the awesome sensation of burning glute muscles by taking the stairs. Combine jogging, push-ups, and lunges all using the flight of steps in your own home. In addition, stair exercises are more efficient for your schedule, doing double the work of a regular jog: “Running upstairs burns 953 calories per hour. For the same burn on a level surface, you would have to hold an all-out sprint.”
- Jump Rope
This is a great calorie burner and only takes up ten minutes of your day! According to Shape Magazine, jumping rope “burns more than 10 calories a minute while strengthening your legs, butt, shoulders, and arms.” Easy to store and easy to use, jumping rope will add a simple cardio workout into your day. Jump until you sweat and then move on with your daily plans.
These workouts will hopefully add the extra pep to your step that you need to stay energized and moving. Working out does not have to be complicated. Stay fit, stay healthy, and keep on going!
