It’s true that finding time to workout during the day might be difficult. For many people, it appears to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
You work for 8 hours, commute home, drive your children to their activities, prepare supper, and get ready for bed… It appears that there aren’t enough hours in the day to get the amount of physical activity you desire. Finding the time and energy to do so can be tough!
Fortunately, there are a number of simple methods to include physical activity into your everyday routine without having to go to the gym or schedule a session.
You may greatly increase your physical activity by following some of these 6 simple ideas Connecticut Physical Therapy Specialists has put together for you!
Looking to become more active? Try these!
1. Stop taking the stairs and go the long way.
We all want to move from one place to another as quickly as possible. We use elevators, park near entrances, and enter and exit through the closest doors… But, except for saving time, this adds no long-term value. Make it a habit to take the stairs at work or park in the back of the parking lot at your grocery store. These simple actions can greatly increase your daily physical activity.
2. Store workout equipment in plain sight…(yes, beside your tv is a great spot!)
Keep training equipment in plain sight throughout the house. Place your yoga mat in front of the television. Keep your 5-pound weights by your desk’s side. By having your equipment visible, you’ll be more likely to use it (because, let’s face it, who wants to rummage through their hall closet at the end of the day to find their yoga mat?) Make it a habit to exercise while performing everyday tasks around the house, such as watching the news, cooking supper, or simply sitting at your computer.
3. Exercise while you’re cleaning up!
Organizational experts say that by doing tasks for 20 or 30 minutes a day, you may live a cleaner and healthier lifestyle. In addition, you can get some exercise! Vacuuming, dishwashing, trash removal, and laundry all necessitate physical exertion. You may get exercise while also doing the housework you’ve been putting off if you take time out of your day to accomplish duties around the house. Win/win!
4. Get up off your seat and on your feet.
Simply standing in place may be one of the simplest methods to get some exercise. While it may not appear to make a difference, standing is far healthier than sitting. Standing burns more calories and is better for your posture because it reduces your capacity to slouch or hunch over. It also induces more exercise and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable after a meal.
5. Play a trick on yourself!
In order to stimulate better blood flow and allow our bodies to stretch and warm up, we should get up and walk around every 30-60 minutes during the day. But how many of us truly follow through on this? (The answer is a resounding nay.) You can achieve this, however, by deceiving yourself into getting up more frequently. Perhaps you drink your water from a smaller glass than normal, forcing you to get up and go to the sink every time you complete it.
Or, maybe you make a trip to the copy room every time you have to use a stapler or hole puncher, instead of keeping your own on your desk. By ridding yourself of these small “conveniences” that we create for ourselves, you’ll be able to get up and move around much more than you would otherwise.
6. Consult with your physical therapist.
Do you have pain that prevents you from doing as much exercise as you’d like? Do you want a more systematic strategy to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine? Are you nodding your head reading these questions, but you have no idea where to start? Physical therapy can help you enhance your physical activity and achieve your goals, whatever the situation may be.
Your physical therapist can create a customized fitness plan for you to help you move in the ways you want to. He or she can also supply you with pain management methods and procedures if pain is an issue. Physical therapists are movement experts, making them excellent resources for achieving physical goals.
Call our clinic today for an appointment
Consider this an added bonus tip! If you’d like more assistance on how to get yourself moving, don’t hesitate to contact us today. Connecticut Physical Therapy Specialists will create a customized treatment plan geared toward helping you improve your physical activity as easily as possible!
