Lack of time in the day to get enough done is a common lament. Work, family and social obligations have made many individuals busier than ever before, and that can eat into people’s ability to find time for daily exercise.
The CDC says adults need to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. For the moderate-intensity recommendation, that boils down to about 21 minutes per day, which is manageable even for the busiest of individuals. To that end, here are some ways busy people can get the exercise they need.
- Wake up early. Starting your day 30 minutes early can allow you to fit exercise in before a day becomes hectic. Put workout gear out the night before, and when the alarm sounds in the morning, get up and out, whether it’s to head to the gym or go for a morning walk or jog around the neighborhood.
- Use your lunch hour. If you’re not a morning person, use a portion of your lunch break for exercise and then eat your lunch afterwards.
- Take part in high-intensity workouts. High-intensity exercise regimens typically pack exercises into routines that get the heart rate going, but don’t require a lot of time. They may only be 20- to 30-minute sessions, which is doable for most people.
- Recognize exercise comes in many forms. Many people would be surprised that activities they engage in each day can be classified as exercise. Intense gardening or lawn care sessions and even home cleaning and improvement projects can work the body. Also, exercise can be built into regular activities, such as taking the stairs rather than an elevator or parking further away in parking lots to ensure a lengthy walk.
- Consider doing the “Daily 50.” The Daily 50 is an informal exercise routine that can occur anywhere and utilizes body weight to get the job done. Exercises can include 50 squats, 50 lunges, 50 wall push-ups, 50 crunches and/or holding a plank position for 50 seconds. Some also perform 50 knee lifts or hold a wall sit for 50 seconds. These exercises don’t require much time and work most of the major muscle groups.
- Exercise as a family. Turn family leisure time into enjoyable exercise time. Take hikes, go for bike rides or even kayaking trips together to get everyone up and moving.
Busy people can make time for exercise with some easy solutions.
