Finding Time for Fitness: Creative Ways to Sneak Exercise Into Your Day

In a perfect world, we’d all have the time and energy to fit regular workouts into our schedules. Unfortunately, life gets in the way sometimes, causing our fitness goals to fall by the wayside. I’m here to tell you not to get discouraged—there’s hope for you!

Here are ways to sneak exercise into your daily routine, no matter how busy you are:

Avoid shortcuts

Take advantage of every opportunity you have to get more steps in (your fitness tracker will thank you). Say goodbye to your perfect parking spot and opt for one further away from your office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you ride public transportation, get off one stop early.

Use a stability ball chair 

Swapping your traditional office chair for a stability ball chair can have several benefits. Not only can they improve your posture and balance, they can increase your core strength since your abs will need to be constantly engaged to avoid falling off of it. This type of chair can also help improve your circulation because it keeps blood flowing to all parts of your body, unlike a desk chair that reduces circulation to parts of the body after prolonged use. You can even burn an extra 50 calories an hour while using one.

Pedal at your desk

The DeskCycle is a small piece of exercise equipment that allows you to pedal under your desk. It’s designed to help combat some of the harmful effects of sitting all day. The number of calories you can burn is dependent on several factors, including your age, weight, fitness level, and the intensity of your pedaling. According to the American Council on Exercise, it’s estimated that a 160-pound person can burn about 290 calories cycling at a slow 5.5 mph, while a 200-pound person can burn 363 calories going the same pace.

Sweat it out on your lunch break

During the summer months, I love taking walks at a local park. Getting out in nature not only clears my head, it helps me burn calories and get some much-needed vitamin D while I’m at it. Even if I’m too busy to even get a break for lunch, I take walks around the building. Other people have the same idea because I often pass by several colleagues while on my walks. I understand now that it’s colder outside, you may want to stay indoors. So, if you’re a member of a gym near your office, try fitting in a quick workout session during lunchtime.

Take a stand…literally

It may seem simple, but standing can actually increase the number of calories you burn each day. On the other hand, sitting for long periods of time can lead to an increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.

Apparently, I work with some health-cautious people, because I have a colleague that has a standing desk. If standing all day seems a bit extreme, you can set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up every hour. You may also want to consider convincing your coworkers to have standing meetings. Added bonus—I find that standing during meetings encourages people to be more engaged and collaborative.

Do wall sits

Unlike traditional sitting, wall sits can actually help build strength and endurance. To perform this exercise, stand with your back against the wall and your knees bent until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then sit and hold for 30 to 60 seconds. If you want more of a challenge, cross your left ankle over your right knee for 15 seconds, then switch.

Carry your handbag

I basically carry everything and the kitchen sink in my handbag (hey, I’m always prepared). It feels like it weighs a ton! If you’re like me, why not take advantage and use it as exercise equipment?

Hold your handbag by the handle with your palm facing up. Bend your elbow 90 degrees, keeping it close to your sides to engage your bicep. Start pulsing up and down a few inches, then switch hands and repeat.

Drink lots of water

There are times when I get so consumed with work that I realize hours later I haven’t even gotten up once to go to the bathroom. A way to force yourself to take bathroom breaks is by drinking lots of water. Not only is it extremely healthy for you, it will force you to take a trip to the bathroom when nature calls…and calls often.

The amount of water you should drink daily varies based on your weight. To calculate how much water you need, multiply your weight by 67% (two-thirds). For example, if you weigh 145 pounds, you should drink about 97 ounces of water each day. Keep in mind, you’ll need to drink more if you work out. For every 30 minutes of exercise, you should drink 12 more ounces of water.

Don’t be a couch potato

I know how great it feels to go home and relax on the couch after a long day. But resist the temptation to just lounge around and make this time productive by working out in front of your TV. You can jog in place, do push-ups, jumping jacks, squats, crunches, you name it. Just get moving!

Get your household chores done

You may have not even considered mopping your floor an exercise, but think again. It’s a form of physical activity that can give your heart rate a good boost just like traditional exercise.

On snowy days when I can’t make it to the gym, I get my workout in by shoveling my driveway. I know it works because the next day my entire body is sore! It’s you need to pull weeds out of your garden, that’s exercise. Bending up and down to fold laundry…exercise!

Do HIIT workouts

You don’ have to spend hours in the gym to lose weight. Studies show that 20-minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) can burn more calories than spending 45 minutes on the elliptical.

Here’s a 20-minute HIIT workout you can try at home (no equipment required).