Spoiler: It doesn't have to be complicated.
Do you want to make time to exercise, but just can't seem to fit it into your busy day? Here is something that it often takes clients a while to figure out: You can only do what you can do right now, & that is OK.
So if you can't make it to the gym or Spin class every morning because you have a job & a family & a home to care for, cut yourself some SLACK! You can only do what you can do. Stop trying to do all of the exercising, you are not an instagram influencer.
Let's figure out what YOU can do right now.
What are exercise snacks?
Exercise snacks are little breaks in your day that you take to get some extra movement in. It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as you are moving. If you can add some resistance in the form of weights or bands, great, but again, we're focusing on what you can do.
Here's an example: Let's say you are a busy marketing lead who works form home & spends most of your day on Zoom meetings & phone calls. Your day starts early, plus you have three kids to help feed & get on their way to school. Could you wake up an hour earlier & squeeze in a pre-dawn workout? Sure! If that works for you, then make it happen.
But let's say a 5am workout just isn't in the cards for you, but you still want some kind of movement to help toward your goal of dropping a few pounds & having more energy every day. Here are some ways to make time for movement during your day:
Before your first meeting, spend 10 minutes stretching & moving to get your blood flowing.
2-3 times per day, block off 5-10 minutes after meetings for movement.
In a meeting you are just listening to, (off camera) use the first 5-10 mins to do a round of exercise.
If you have a few minutes of down time (e.g. break in calls, kids are working on homework, etc.) break away for a bit to move.
If you sit at a desk all day, set a timer to remind you to get up every 45 minutes & stretch, move around, even take a walk around your office.
End your day with a 20-30 minute walk.
What are some quick & easy exercises?
So now you have an idea of when to take a break for a quick exercise snack, now you need to know what to do. I'll say it again - you can only do what you can do, so pick a few movements to start off with & add more as you feel comfortable. This is by no means an exhaustive list, please include movements that you know & love as well. These are all mostly or entirely free, other than needing to purchase some weights or bands before hand.
Walking is always a good choice. Take a 10, 20, or 30 minute walk any time you need to move, like after lunch or a long meeting.
Do a short every-minute-on-the-minute exercise with 2-3 movements. for example: In 1 minute, do 5 squats, 5 lunges, & 5 push-ups. Start over when the minute is up. Repeat for 5 minutes.
Every time someone in a meeting says a common phrase (e.g. "aligned"), do 20 jumping jacks.
Drive-by weights: Leave a kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells in a room at home you walk by frequently. Each time you pass that room, stop & do 10 curls, presses, rows, or swings.
Take your kids to the park? Challenge them to a short race, down to the tree & back. No, the other tree.
Bet your kids they can't do more push-ups / jumping jacks / squats than you. Match whatever they do, or try & double it!
Holding a weight (kettlebell, dumbbells) either over your head or at rack position, walk to the end of your block & back. Repeat 2-3 times.
Looking for more challenging exercises? Have your exercise dialed in but need some help with your diet? That's what I'm here for. Contact me to schedule a free 15 minute consultation to learn about my programs & prices.
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