One of the most common excuses to skip a workout is lack of time.
No excuses! Everyone has 20 or 30 minutes of time every day. You have to want it (your health) enough and creatively squeeze it in. Make an appointment in your calendar as you would any other important commitment like your doctor and health care check-ups and social commitments.
Keep in mind, exercise doesn’t have to be done all at once. This can be split up into a 10 or 15 minute segment done twice throughout the day. In fact, shorter bursts of higher intensity exercise can be very rejuvenating and get the endorphin levels up more often this way.
The key is consistency so think of exercise as a routine like brushing your teeth. We don’t just brush our teeth for a 2 or 3 a month period and then don’t do it again until the New Year or the Spring. It has to be done daily and consistently in order to get the results.
Here’s some ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine:
Walk/run your dog more (pets can be great for accountability & motivation) at the Dog Park. We’re lucky in Uxbridge to have our new dog park on the 6th concession beside the museum. Don’t just let your dog run and play though, get involved. Play and run with your dog! Or, walk the perimeter of the park doing walking lunges or do a loop then do a set of squats. Arrange to meet a buddy who has a dog or make friends with other dog owners at the park and arrange for a dog and exercise date! You’ll be more likely to stick with it and have a lot of fun whether you’re chasing your 4 legged friends or letting them play while you and your dog owner buddies get your exercise in.
- Do squats while you brush your teeth. We should be brushing our teeth for approximately 2 min’s so what a great opportunity to get in some exercise while ensuring you’re brushing long enough. Put on your fave song and see how the time will fly!
- Complete 5 flights of stairs before you have breakfast. Set yourself a goal to do this every day and challenge a friend to do the same!
Only have 30 minutes or less? Try this:
- Circuit approach (i.e. 5 exercises in a row then repeat)
- Involve large muscles (more muscle activated, greater benefit – think legs)
Multi-Joint/Muscle Movements
- HIIT approach (High Intensity Interval Training)
- Keep it simple/fun. Bring out the skipping ropes. Play your fave tunes!
- Timed exercises (keeps you on track)
- Combine exercises – think multi task
Example: The Double Duty Circuit:
Complete all 4 exercises with minimal rest in between each.
Repeat the entire 4-exercise sequence 3 times.
#1. Lunge Press
Targets: Legs, Shoulders
- Holding dumbbells at shoulder level with palms forward, step into a lunge position.
- Press weights up overhead as you push out of the lunge back to standing position.
- Lower the weights back to shoulder level.
- Repeat for 10 reps on one leg then continue with the opposite leg.
- More Challenging Option: Increase weight and/or add jump
- Modified: do 8-10 lunges on right leg, then switch to left leg
#2. Renegade Push up
Targets: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core
- From your knees in push up position with weights in your hands, lower your body to the ground.
- Push up out of position and simultaneously pull one weight to your armpit.
- Lower the weight back to the ground and drop into another push up.
- Repeat movement, this time pulling
- Opposite weight to your opposite armpit.
- Complete 1 min
- More Challenging Option: Complete push ups from feet
#3. Squat Thrusters
Targets: Anterior Shoulders, Legs
- Holding one dumbbell in both hands, standing with toes slightly turned out.
- Drop into deep squat, keeping arms straight.
- Quickly come out of squat, simultaneously raising weight straight out and overhead.
- Repeat for 1 min
- More Challenging Option: Jump-squat instead of regular squat
#4. Push Pull Plank
Targets: Core, Shoulders
- Place one dumbbell on the ground in front of you.
- Get into a plank position from the forearms and toes.
- With your right hand push the weight away
- From you as far as possible.
- Return to plank position then take your left hand and pull the weight back to you.
- Repeat this sequence 30 sec, rest then repeat for 30 more sec using your left hand to push and your right hand to pull.
- More Challenging Option: Increase weight used
- Modified Option: Complete exercise from knees instead of feet