If a packed schedule has you skipping the gym more often than not, don’t miss these quick home workout tips and ideas:
Timing
Exercise rarely becomes a regular habit without you prioritizing the time to make it happen. If you are finding yourself struggling to find an entire hour a day to insert a workout, you’re not alone. These tips can help!
Start small: A 15-minute window might not seem like a lot of time to get an effective workout, but you have to start somewhere. Jumping right into a short but high-intensity workout may not be the smartest idea for your muscles and energy level so begin with something more benign, like a 15-minute brisk walk or mini yoga session. Once you make time for those 15-minutes each day, start adding 5 or 10 minutes to each session week by week until it becomes a staple of your schedule.
Break it up: Turn your half hour of exercise into three short 10-minute activities throughout the day (vacuuming and carrying groceries doesn’t count). Complete 10 minutes of squats and lunges before your morning shower, walk up and down the stairs at work for 10 minutes during your lunch break, or lift free weights at home for 10 minutes while dinner cooks - the ideas are endless!
Equipment
You don’t need access to a bunch of fancy, complicated equipment to achieve a workout that will benefit your health and physique. In fact, minimalist exercise equipment is super on trend right now - think resistance bands, medicine balls, balance discs, and free weights. The best workout equipment for mothers will be discreet, easy to store (and transport), and even easier to use.
You don’t need access to a bunch of fancy, complicated equipment to achieve a workout that will benefit your health and physique. In fact, minimalist exercise equipment is super on trend right now - think resistance bands, medicine balls, balance discs, and free weights. The best workout equipment for mothers will be discreet, easy to store (and transport), and even easier to use.
Inspiration
It seems like there are a million different home workout apps, programs, or services available these days. Don’t get overwhelmed by the options. Start somewhere basic like a free Youtube tutorial for practicing yoga or using resistance bands. Depending on your likes, interests, and goals, you may want to move onto a paid service like Daily Burn that offers a variety of home workouts you can stream, or Aaptiv, a personal trainer app you can listen to that guides (and motivates) you through your workout.
It seems like there are a million different home workout apps, programs, or services available these days. Don’t get overwhelmed by the options. Start somewhere basic like a free Youtube tutorial for practicing yoga or using resistance bands. Depending on your likes, interests, and goals, you may want to move onto a paid service like Daily Burn that offers a variety of home workouts you can stream, or Aaptiv, a personal trainer app you can listen to that guides (and motivates) you through your workout.
Work from Home?
If you work from home while the kids are at school (or maybe even while you’re watching kids), it might seem even harder to uncover time for exercising. No worries! You can incorporate muscle-building, calorie burning exercises while you’re bringing home the bacon.
Change the way you sit/stand: Instead of sitting in a regular old office chair while you work at your computer, try sitting on a stability ball or standing on a balance disc. The constant body adjustments and corrections you make to stay balance will keep your muscles engaged while you send emails, update reports, etc. You can also try using a standing desk to prevent prolonged bouts of sitting which have been linked to all kinds of lifestyle disease.
Pedal exercise: Keep your legs working no matter what you’re working on with a portable pedal exercise you place under your desk. Work the thigh, calf, and foot muscles while you’re on the phone or using your computer, and help keep ankle, knee, and hip joints loose too.
Strengthen your grip: Therapy putty, stress balls, handheld grip strengthening tools - the options for exercising your hands and forearms while you take calls are numerous. Not only will you work key arm and hand muscles, but these types of exercises can also help relieve tension and stress while you work too.
Be Smart About Food
All the hard work you inject into your busy day to help maintain your health (and waistline) will have little effect if it’s not supported by a healthy diet. Remember to:
Drink lots of water - keep a reusable water bottle with you wherever your day takes you (kid’s school, work, soccer practice, etc) and stay hydrated.
Pack healthy snacks - even if you are working from home, prep healthy snacks at the beginning of the week so you have a nutritious place to turn when you get hungry between meals. Healthy snacks might include nuts, whole grain tortilla chips and hummus, cottage cheese and fruit, carrot sticks, avocado toast, and whole grain rice cakes with peanut butter.
Plan the weekly menu - not only will planning a weekly menu help you make the most of your grocery shopping, it will also save you time and stress fixing meals throughout the week and help you make healthier choices. Menu planning apps like eMeals and Cozi Family Organizer are super helpful for busy families.
Make the most of your home exercise strategy by starting small, using smart equipment, and staying on track with online apps and services.
The Five Best At-Home Workout Plans
The Five Best At-Home Workout Plans
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