Most of us know we could be fitting a bit more exercise in day to day.
But now the US Department of Health and Human Services is telling you to get your act together and find some shortcuts.
New federal exercise guidelines published on Monday urge Americans that any bit of physical activity is important, whether you’re are at work, walking their dog – or even using the toilet.
It’s an attempt to raise the bar higher – previously, guidelines said adults should be aiming for at least 10 minutes of aerobic activity a day.
But adherence has been low, so scientists are now changing tact, encouraging people to see the benefit in any bit of movement – even if it just last two or three minutes.
With hectic work schedules and raising children, it can feel overwhelming to fit in an hour-long workout routine.
In-home personal trainer Elizabeth Crutchfield, owner of HomeBodies in New York City, reveals six ways that you can fit workout moves into everyday, mundane activities from doing push-ups against your kitchen counter while cooking to squatting while using the bathroom.
Updated guidelines from the US Department of Health and Human Services guidelines say any amount of physical activity – from walking to work to lunges while cooking – can contribute to overall health (file image)
1. MOVE AS SOON AS YOU GET OUT OF BED
Crutchfield recommends creating a five-minute movement routine right after you wake up.
‘You could do something like marching in place, dancing, stretching, which really gets you in touching with your body,’ she told Daily Mail Online.
‘It’s before you have the time to negotiate. If you wait to do it until 5pm, there’s too much time to talk yourself out of it.’
Several studies have extolled the benefits of working out when you wake up as opposed to in the evening.
A 2012 study from Brigham Young University in Utah found that women who worked out in the morning were more active throughout the day and less likely to consume excess calories.
2. PARK FURTHER AWAY FROM YOUR JOB
Even while you’re at work, there are still ways to get movement into your day, Crutchfield says, starting when you arrive.
‘Park far away from your job,’ she said. ‘Get off one subway stop before your regular stop or get off one bus stop early and walk.’
According to the 2013 National Walkers’ Health study, conducted by UC Berkeley, walking was found to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol by seven percent and it lowered risk of type 2 diabetes by 12 percent.
3. ONCE AT WORK, DON’T SIT FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES
Once you actually get to work, don’t sit behind your desk all day.
‘If you need to talk to the receptionist, walk over and talk to him or her, or take a walk around the block after lunch,’ Crutchfield says.
‘If it benefits you, get one of those smartwatches that reminds you to stand so you’re not sitting too long.’
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine last year found that those who sat for less than 30 minutes at a time had the lowest risk of early death.
4. TURN YOUR ROUTINE DOG WALK INTO A WORKOUT
Turns out that the 10-to-15 minute dog walk you go on once or twice a day can benefit your own physical health.
Crutchfield recommends taking your canine to the park and, while they’re running around, you can get some aerobic exercise in.
‘You can do some step-ups on the park bench, five on each side, or you can do some push-ups on the upper or lower part of the bench depending on your arm strength,’ she said.
Crutchfield also suggests taking your pooch to a park that as a lot of hills or stairs.
Why is that important? Because walking at an incline requires a greater use of your muscles. Muscle burns more fat than calories, meaning that increasing muscle mass will help you lose weight quicker.
Additionally, walking uphill can create a similar intensity to running, but without as much impact on the knee or hip joints.
‘Also make a commitment that you’re going to walk so many steps a day,’ Crutchfield said. ‘Start off with something manageable like 3,000 to 4.000 and then work your way up to 10,000.’
5. YOU CAN GET A SHORT WORKOUT IN WHILE COOKING
Even while you’re doing seemingly mundane activities, you can get some movement in towards your weekly activity goal.
‘While you’re waiting for a pot of water to boil, for example, you can do push-ups against the counter or do five lunges on each leg,’ Crutchfield said.
You can even do isometric exercises, which are contractions of a particular muscle or group of muscles, to help maintain muscle strength.
‘Squeeze your butt and hold it as tight as you can for 10 seconds and then release’ Crutchfield said.
‘Or make a muscle and contract your biceps or triceps for 10 seconds and release.’
6. DO SOME SQUATS WHILE YOU’RE USING THE TOILET
For an unusual alternative, Crutchfield says you can even so squats while you’re on the toilet.
‘You’re already down there so, before you get up, do eight to 10 squats before you stand,’ she said.
Squats don’t just help tone your leg muscles and strengthen you core, but can also reduce the risk of injuries from falls as you age.
A 2017 study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Illinois found that squatting during a backwards fall reduced wrist injuries by 11 percent, and hip injuries by 18 percent.