We are constantly being told by the media that we need to lead healthy lifestyles. Our social media newsfeeds are bombarded with gluten-free recipes, workout videos and photos of impossibly beautiful people doing impossibly difficult things with their bodies. But what about the average Joe or Jane who doesn’t have time to make pizza out of shredded cauliflower or spend all summer at a yoga retreat? How do you incorporate some health and activity into your busy schedule as a full-time worker/student/parent? Well, the answer is easier than you might think. Here are 4 super easy ways to make your lifestyle a more active one.
30 Minutes of Exercise Every Day
This is the one lifestyle that you always hear about. 30 minutes of exercise a day doesn’t seem like all that much but fitting it in can be a challenge. Here’s a fun fact though: you don’t have to do it all in one go. Three ten-minute sessions is just as good as one longer session. So why not try doing a quick jog in the morning and maybe a brisk walk in the evening? However you fit it in is up to you – just discipline yourself to do it every day without fail or you won’t get the real benefits from it.
Replace Driving With Walking
Of course, it’s infinitely easier to nip to the shop or the post office in the car. It’s quicker, less effort and you can get back to whatever you were doing at home faster. But, if you replaced the 3-minute drive to the shop with a 15-minute power-walk you will find that you feel a lot better about yourself afterwards. If you are planning on driving somewhere, before you hop in the car ask yourself if you could walk or cycle that distance. If the answer is yes – do it!
Vary Your Exercise
People get bored of exercise when it gets repetitive. If you are going to the gym and doing the same thing every time then eventually you are going to get really bored of it. The same will happen if you walk or run the same route every day. Mix up your exercise so you can have an active lifestyle that you actually enjoy. Maybe one day you could run around your local park and the next you could do a workout video at home. Variety is the spice of life.
Do It At Home
There are all kinds of reasons for why you might not want to leave the house. Maybe you have kids you need to look after, or it’s raining, or you’ve had a long day at work and don’t want to go back out. Whatever, the reason – it’s no problem. There are all kinds of fun activities you can do at home. Jog on the spot while you watch TV; use heavy household items like bottles of water as weights; or do some stretches on your living room floor. You could even clean your house – this has been proven to be a pretty good workout!
