Do you find it hard to sneak away from your desk, your family, or your other obligations to squeeze in a workout? I certainly do, especially when it comes to strength training.
But then I was sidelined by back pain yet again, along with a couple of other minor ailments. I knew I had to get serious about strength training in addition to my yoga, running, and other workouts. (Coach Nicole also reminded me that women lose about a pound of muscle every year. Yikes! I'm 31, so that matters to me. I want to be strong and healthy for as long as possible.)
I decided to practice what we preach here at SparkPeople: I squeeze in those strength workouts, even on my busiest days. A few times a day, I step away from my desk for one-minute strength intervals. A wall sit here, a plank there, or some lunges or squats. It adds up! I also schedule two 15- or 20-minute workouts weekly, and stick with them. In just a couple of months, I've noticed a difference in my muscles and, more importantly, my back pain.
That's what works for me, but I'm not the only one who makes time for exercise on a busy schedule. Here's what other SparkPeople members are doing:
- 10+ Minutes During Lunch: I use the Spark People video library to get in exercise during the lunch hour. 10 minutes to 14 minutes videos are easy to sneak in and I feel great! 4EVER21B
- Walking Breaks at Work: I enjoy taking walking breaks while I'm at work. Now that I have the FitBit, I've been making an extra effort to get out while I can! TIMLINLUVER
- Keep shoes, socks, and headphones at the office: I had so much trouble getting myself to work out because I couldn't find time. Now I eat my lunch for about 30 min and then walk the other 30 min. I keep spare shoes, socks and headphones in the office so I can't forget them! J6SMITH3
- Squats and lunges: When my dog stops to sniff something I do squats. Sometimes I get up to 15, but mostly just 4. BUT, I live in the country and no one is usually around to see this.. it works well for me. THOMASINA57
- Take the Stairs and Walkways During the Work Day: I walk approximately 2 or more miles per day down long hallways at school. On Tuesday and Thursday, I add the stairs to my program. That way, I get additional exercise in before even going to the gym. PROFBOB
- Desk Workout: I am very fortunate to work at home, so when I am not on the phone I can sneak in a few squats, standing push ups or just walking in place. It helps to wake me up too! IREN0169
- Fitting in Cardio Minutes on a Workday: I work on a medical campus consisting of 3 buildings, 2 of which have stairs. To get those extra minutes in, I often walk to the main building, walk up then down the stairs, to the next building and walk up and down the stairs and then back to my office during my lunch break. THEWALKINGQUEEN
- I Made My Vacuuming Into A Mini Workout... It's fifteen minutes before I have to pick my husband up, one of the grandkids is scurrying about and the house still needs vacuuming. I stand on my tip toes and suck in my stomach and start moving the vacuum. Wow I had a workout for sure. Calf raises, crunches and moving the furniture for my arms. All this from vacuuming. There are so many mini workouts we can do throughout the day without people even recognizing it. Sometimes family just wants our attention and the chores are overwhelming. LOVINGWIFE120
Submit a Secret of your own!
How do you make time to work out on a busy day?
|
|
.jpg)
