Everyone is so busy, some days it is hard to find time for exercise. However, we don’t realize how much time we spend waiting. Why not use some of that time fitting in a little exercise?
When you go outside to pick up your morning newspaper, take a brisk 5-minute power walk up the street in one direction and back in the other.
Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil. Stand about an arm’s length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to get toned arms and shoulders.
Walk around the block several times while you wait for your child to take a music lesson. As your fitness level improves, add 1-minute bursts of jogging to your walks.
If you’re housebound caring for a sick child or grandchild, hop on an exercise bike or do a treadmill workout while your ailing loved one naps.
During commercials, jog in place. A 150-pound woman can burn up to 45 calories in 5 minutes.
Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.)
Do leg exercises and lifts with small weights while you watch The Weather Channel, cooking shows, movies, or the news.
On breaks, spend 5 to 10 minutes climbing stairs.
While your son or daughter plays a soccer game, walk around the field.
If you’re pressed for time and must wait for an elevator, strengthen your core with ab exercises. Stand with your feet parallel and your knees relaxed. Contract the muscles around your belly button. Then elevate your upper torso, and release. Finally, contract your buttocks for a few seconds.