This blog was written by Melissa Sherman. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.
Between everything life throws at you, finding the time to exercise is a struggle for a lot of people. However, when it comes to exercise, "something" really is better than "nothing." Here are some tips to begin incorporating exercise into your day.
Schedule your exercise.
Whether you are just starting an exercise routine or realizing that you are having trouble maintaining your exercise routine, blocking out time in your schedule can be a helpful way to make sure you stay consistent. Schedule exercise like you would any other appointment, even if it is only a 10- or 15-minute time slot.
Get active throughout the day.
Exercise doesn't have to be confined to the corporate fitness center. Here are some easy ways to fit in exercise throughout the day:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Park farther away.
- Take a 15-minute walk during lunch.
- Use a pedometer to gauge how many steps you take each day, and try to increase that number every day.
- Do jumping jacks for 5 to 10 minutes in your office, at home, or in your hotel room.
- At home, do push-ups or sit-ups during commercials while you watch television.
Break up your exercise minutes.
If finding a 30- to 60-minute time slot in your day doesn’t seem realistic, try breaking up your exercise. Can you find three 10-minute time slots? Or how about two 15-minute time slots? Log all your exercise minutes each week, and try to aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise each week.
Exercise is not “all or nothing.”
No matter where you are with your exercise program, it is common to have an “all-or-nothing” attitude. This attitude does more harm than good when it comes to your health. Just because you miss one exercise session, does not mean you ruined the whole week. You should start again next week.
Fit in exercise when you can. Realize things do come up, but do the best you can to make it consistent. Make your exercise plan realistic for your schedule and always remember that some time, no matter how small, is better than nothing.