1. Walk. Sounds easy peasy, right? You're thinking, duh? Well how many times have you chosen to take the elevator instead of the stairs? Do you ever park further away in a parking lot than necessary so you can get more steps in? Seriously - walk, walk, walk! When you're waiting in line, move your feet. Every little bit of movement helps. If you don't own some sort of pedometer - get one! I have a Fitbit Flex (click on the link to learn more about that) - and I love it! Seeing my progress throughout the day pushes me to stay on my feet and keep moving. We all need motivation - and being able to actually SEE your progress during the day adds that extra layer of motivation.
2. Clean Your House. I don't know about you - but when I'm in full-force cleaning mode, I'm breaking a sweat. While you're cleaning your house - be mindful of the muscles you're using and make it fun. Sometimes I even wear my heart rate monitor to see how many calories I'm burning just doing something that I already would do anyway!
3. Drop It Like a Squat. First off - I have to say - I LOVE me some squats. Squats are an easy, amazing workout for your body and you can do them anywhere, anytime. Squat exercises can improve your circulation which means more nutrients and oxygen is getting to all of your vital organs and muscles, throughout your body. Even though you are primarily working on your leg muscles, squats also promote muscle growth around your entire body. This exercise helps the body to release hormones that are vital for the growth of muscle tissue and improves your strength of your upper and lower body. As well as toning up muscles, squats BURN CALORIES too. As you tone and build your muscles, you are burning more and more calories, so squats make for great general workout for health and weight loss!
4. Dance. Just dance people! If you have kids - dance with them. If you like to go out with your friends, go dance! You burn so many calories dancing and it's so good for the soul. My little girls love to have dance parties and when they see me joining in - their little faces just light up. And just like when you're cleaning - pay attention to the muscles you're using when you're dancing. Do some jumping - use your arms - squat down....just get moving. You'll burn calories and you'll be smiling. (and leave other people smiling especially if you're a terrible dancer like me!) :)
5. Do Push-ups. You might start out thinking you can't do one. So work your way up. Do them on your knees until you are strong enough to do a regular one. Make a goal to do 10 when you wake up. Do some at night when you're at home before dinner and do some more before you go to bed. It will literally take a few minutes! What are the benefits? Push-ups are one of the oldest and most basic forms of exercise. Because they work. This exercise positions all the muscles in our upper body and builds optimal strength in the forearms, chest, and shoulders. And when done properly, it also puts emphasis on building a strong core by stabilizing the abs and back. And because you're making everything in your body work, it also forces the heart to work harder which boosts your metabolic rate so you can burn more calories!
