If you’re having trouble starting an exercise plan, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We all know the benefits of exercising – improving flexibility, mobility, better sleep and mood, as well as staying in shape. However, building it as a habit in our busy lives is really tough for many of us.
Regardless of age or fitness level, the first step to making exercise less intimidating is to ditch the all-or-nothing attitude. Just because you hate running or don’t spend hours in the gym doesn’t mean you can’t get your daily exercise in!
Exercise greatly complements chiropractic adjustments as it stretches and strengthens your muscles that help hold the better spinal alignment gained from adjustments. Our body is designed to move!
Here are 5 easy ways to build exercise into your daily routine:
1. Take the stairs instead
At the train station? Going up to your office? Try taking the stairs instead. It’s a piece of “exercise equipment” we often overlook.
Climbing stairs is a great “short burst” exercise and ideal for the time-poor. You burn almost 0.17 calories for every step you climb.
But what if you work or live above the 20th floor? Don’t worry – take the lift up to 5 floors below your destination and take the stairs up. Start from even lower floors as your stamina builds up.
2. Take the basket instead of the trolley
We spend an average of 20 to 30 minutes on our weekly grocery shopping trip. Using a basket instead of a trolley can help give your shoulders and biceps a workout, and also save some money ditching snacks because there’s no space.
Ensure that the baskets are not overloaded, and always try to life from your legs and not your back (don’t bend down but do more of a squat) when picking up those baskets. Perfect your squat while shopping!
3. Multi-task your morning and evening routine
For those who are really busy and on-the-go, squeeze some exercise into your morning routine. Brushing your teeth for 3 mins? Do some squats while you’re at it, and add a pulse every time you hit 5 brush movements. Showering? Adding some calf raises or standing knee raises to that 10 minutes can make a world of a difference.
Do these twice a day and you’ve incorporated 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine.
4. Workout at your desk
Have a short 15-minute break between meetings? Do some quick stretches and exercises to get the blood flowing and counteract the long hours of sitting and starting at your monitor.
Download free exercises and stretches you can do at home or at work here!
5. Exercise instead of sitting or lying down to watch the TV
Catching the latest episode of your favourite show on Netflix? Pair exercise with something you enjoy and use it as a trigger to remind yourself to get moving.
Easy exercises which don’t require jumping include lunges, squats, dead bug, leg lifts, and many more, which you can do while watching your show. Otherwise, you could consider investing in a mini exercise pedal or treadmill to get some cardio in as well.
