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Sure, we all wish we had both the time and motivation to hit up the gym each day, but for most of us that is just not a reality.  Working all day at home or at the office can be exhausting enough so getting up an extra hour earlier to make it to the gym isn’t going to happen for everyone.  This can be a serious barrier to weight management for many, but it doesn’t have to be your downfall.  Lifestyle exercise can be a great way to stay active when you can’t sweat it out at the gym for an hour on the elliptical.

• Walk, walk, and walk some more!  It may not strike you as a way to squeeze in some exercise, but walking is actually a great way to get fit.  When you’re at work instead of spending your lunch hour lounging in the office break room, go outside for a brisk walk.   Ask a coworker to join you and make a routine of it to help keep yourself motivated.   If you take the bus, get off a few stops before your destination and walk the rest of the way.  I recommend purchasing a pedometer to keep track of your steps and challenge yourself to take more steps each day.

• Clean up the house:  Vacuum, mop, dust, do laundry, or do whatever needs to be done.  Whether it’s the accumulating dust that motivates you or the prospect of burning calories, cleaning is a great way to fit more movement into your day.

• Bike to work:  Ditch the traffic jams and hefty gas bills for a leisurely bike ride to work.  If you live close enough, biking to work is a great way to squeeze in exercise before and after work.  If you live too far away for that, locate a commuter parking lot closer to work so you can drive part way then bike the rest.

• Steer clear of the elevator:  It’s second nature to press that up or down arrow for a quick ride to whatever floor you want.  While you might argue you are saving time, you certainly aren’t doing yourself any favors.  Start out slowly by climbing as many floors as you feel comfortable with, then take the elevator the rest of the way up.  Build up your stamina by adding another floor once you feel ready.  Stairs are a great workout for your hamstrings, butt, quads, and calves. And often you’ll find you can beat the elevator!

• Play:  Instead of merely supervising the mayhem of your kids’ games, join in.  Play tag, hide-and-go-seek, soccer, or whatever it is that your kids enjoy.  If you don’t have kids then play with the dog or get a group of friends together for a weekly activity that will get you moving.  Not only is this a great way to be active, but it’s fun too.

How do you sneak in your workout time? Share your ideas with us!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.