• Fitness and Exercise

Sweet! 16 Ways to Fit Physical Activity into Your Day

Sedentary living is boring — and dangerous! Without regular physical activity, you increase the risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and probably carry more pounds than you want.

All you need is 30 minutes of movement on most days to find better health. Aim for a total of 150 or more minutes a week. Start exercising slowly, and gradually increase the intensity.

If each day seems to go by without getting the physical activity you need, consider these ideas to squeeze some action into your busy days:

1. Make time for regular exercise. Put “workout” on your calendar and stick to it. Keep a log of what you do when. Talk to your family doctor about how much exercise is right for you. A good goal for many women is to work up to exercising five times a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If that’s difficult to fit into a busy schedule, you can split up your physical activity into smaller chunks of time.
2. Go for a walk during your coffee break. Do something active with coworkers at lunch.
3. Say “yes” to stairs — at work, the mall, office buildings. Even walk up an escalator.
4. Do housework briskly. You’ll get more done — and get cardiovascular benefits, too.
5. Tackle those chores you put off, such as washing and waxing your car or washing floors and windows.
6. Park your car farther away from the building entrance (store, office, etc.).
7. Take breaks at work to stretch or take quick walks.
8. On the phone? Walk while you talk.
9. Get closer to your kids by playing with them outside or taking them for a walk.
10. Instead of sending an email to a co-worker, walk to her office.
11. Plan active vacations, with lots of sightseeing on foot and physical activities.
12. Utilize “wait” time. While waiting for your kid’s soccer game to start, take a brisk walk around the soccer field. While waiting for the coffee maker, knock out some calisthenics.
13. Mall walk. Window shop and help your heart, no matter what the weather.
14. Pair up your favorite television show with 30 minutes on the treadmill.
15. Try something new: ballroom dancing, jumping rope, golf, biking, water aerobics!
16. Can’t afford a gym membership? Create your own space at home, even making hand weights of canned foods or bottles filled with water or sand.

All you need is 30 minutes of movement on most days to find better health.

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians; Womenshealth.gov; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; American Heart Association