Let’s face it. Not everybody has the luxury of time. There are days when we just find it hard to squeeze all the things we ought to do in 24 hours. And this happen to tbe true whether you are an 8am to 5pm employee, a business proprietor, a WFH professional, a homemaker, a salesperson, etc. We want to allot some time for exercise but we simply can’t find the time.
Well, here are some practical tips:
1. Upon waking up in the morning, roll your head, shoulders, arms, wrists, fingers hips, thighs, knees , legs, and toes while saying your morning prayer. This only takes 2-3 minutes and you already nourished your body and soul.
2. Join your family when they walk your furry pet. You bond with your loved ones while gaining some steps.
3. Customize your working table. As much as possible, stand while working. Sit when you feel tired.
4. If working while standing is impossible for you, at least try to stand when talking over the phone. You may also walk around your desk. Or just lift your body pretending you’re a ballet dancer.
5. Don’t waste time circling for a parking space near the Entrance of your building. Park at the first available slot then walk towards the Entrance. You saved gas and gained strength.
6. Instead of queuing at the elevator, take the stairs if you’re only going to the 2nd or 3rd floor. Your heart will thank you for that.
7. Take 8-12 glasses of water everyday. That way, you will have more trips to the kitchen or the office pantry. Taking 8-12 glasses of water would also result in more trips to the Rest Room resulting in more steps in a day.
8. When you put eggs in boiling water, it takes 10 minutes for them to be cooked hard-boiled. Take this opportunity for a 10-minute exercise.
9. When queuing to pay at the Cashier Counter, lift each leg one at time. Hold as long as you can for each leg. Monitor your improvement by using a stopwatch or just counting mentally.
10. If you are a Catholic praying the Rosary everyday, do so while climbing up and down the stairs or walking in the garage. This would amount to 15 minutes exercise. If you are non-Catholic and enjoy listening to music to relieve your stress, do so while doing some form of activity.
11. When refilling water for ref bottles, hold them up high on the way to the refrigerator. You stretched and strengthened your arms.
12. Use a coconut husk to shine your floor instead of a floor polisher. There are coconut husks specifically modified to serve this purpose. While scrubbing the floor, stretch your arms up for a whole body workout.
13. When you are standing in line for whatever reason, engage your core. You can do this by breathing deeply (you should feel your stomach inflating) then exhale slowly while purposely tucking your stomach all the way in. You can also do this while sitting down. Keep your chest very still. Only the stomach expands and contracts. Do this regularly and you might be surprised to lose that stubborn belly fat!
14. While watching your favorite TV show, exercise during commercial breaks.
15. When watering your plants, use 2 pails of water instead of a water hose. Carrying the 2 pails of water is your strengthening exercise while the trips to the faucet takes care of your cardio exercise.
16. If you are living in Metro Manila and driving your own car, you can literally exercise while stuck in traffic.
17. People are surprised that my car is not automatic. It is not a vintage vehicle but I specifically requested for a manually-driven SUV so I could still move my hands and feet while driving. If you are still planning to buy a new car, give it some thought.
If you have additional tips to share, do chat with me via Messenger or email at ndelr62@gmail.com. Stay safe eveyrone!
