Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone enjoyed their Cinco de Mayo. As much as I would have loved a margarita or four, I resisted and spent my day running errands and staying active. I’ve been having a hard time making it to the gym at work these past few weeks, and I suspect this may be a struggle for a lot of busy peeps. If you’re like me and have a small window to make it into an actual gym, remember that missing that window is no excuse to sit on your butt and call it a loss! Here are some great ways to incorporate extra activity or mini workouts throughout your day.
Go for a Walk. Spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming and birds are singing. When it’s not raining, I’ve really enjoyed going for walks outside and getting some fresh air. Depending on your schedule, you can take a stroll in the morning, evening, or during a break at work. Still can’t find the time? Make it a point to park your car far away from entrances. Get up and walk over to a coworker instead of sending an email or picking up the phone. One way or another, get some walking in!
Take the Stairs. Do you know what a broken escalator is? STAIRS!! Walk up escalators whether they are moving or not. Instead of taking the elevator, look for the stairs. If you don’t think you can walk up or down all the steps, take the stairs as far as you can go and then hop on the elevator. If you’re like me and have stairs at your apartment building, take one or two grocery/shopping bags in the apartment at a time instead of trying to only make one trip up the stairs. If you have stairs in your home and you fold your laundry downstairs, take one small stack of clothing upstairs at a time. There are tons of ways to get some extra steps in whether you’re a business woman or a stay-at-home mom. I work on the 7th floor in my building and plan on taking the stairs more often, starting today!
Work While You Watch. I keep a mat and 10 lb weights in my living room at all times so that I can do mini workouts while I watch TV in the evening. I call them “mini” workouts, but I feel the burn and sometimes I’m even sore the next day! Keep some work out equipment (dumbbells, resistance bands, jump ropes, etc.) in view wherever you watch TV or use your computer. If you don’t have work out equipment, pick up a case of water, gallon of milk, or cans of food. You can even just do body weight exercises like planks, push-ups, or squats. I also use a work out ball as my desk chair so that I’m tempted to do crunches while I’m on the computer. Hahaha. It doesn’t matter what you use, just move your body!
Create Daily Habits. This is one I haven’t started yet, but I think it’s a great way to stay active. There are certain things we all do every day – wake up, brush our teeth, bathe, etc. Pick one or two of the things you do every day and create a workout to do with them. For example, do 100 jumping jacks when you wake up in the morning, squat while you’re brushing your teeth, or do 20 burpees before you jump in the shower. You can even make a circuit, like 10 squats, 20 jumping jacks, and 10 burpees when you wake up. Be creative! I must admit, I sometimes squat while I wait for things in the microwave. That’s not a habit, though… that’s just me being weird. Lol. But, the more you do these corresponding work outs everyday, the faster they will become good habits. Before you know it, you’ll be brushin’ and squattin’ without even thinking about it. 🙂
On another note, it’s time for new measurements! Here they are. Being more active is helping, but I’m hoping to get into the gym more this month to see even better results.
P.S. I measured my waist three times because I couldn’t believe it!!
Bust: 49.5 (same)
Waist: 43 (down 2 inches!!)
Stomach: 52 (down 0.5 inches)
Hips: 48.75 (down 0.75 inches)
Thigh: 28 (same)
Arm: 16 (down 0.5 inches)
How do you guys keep yourselves active outside of the gym?
Do you already do some of these things?
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