It’s hard to stick to an exercise program.
Life is busy, consumed with work, family and friends. Or maybe you don’t like working out. Maybe you’re a morning person and have to be at work early, so getting a workout in before you leave for your job just won’t work.
But your overall health depends on you getting up and moving. Regular exercise helps control weight, decrease diseases, improve your mood and boosts energy levels.
Ditch the excuses, start up a program that suits your lifestyle and reap the benefits of moving your body.
Here are some ideas to help you get over your exercise slump.
Squeeze it in
Lots of people can’t carve out one-hour blocks of time in their day to hit the gym, so bring the gym to you.
Use the steps instead of taking the elevator. Take a five-minute break every hour and go on a short, brisk walk. As you’re sitting at your desk, do some ab work. In the morning, do a strengthening routine at home; at night, do some stretching exercises for 10 minutes.
Working short bursts of activity into your day is just as effective as longer workouts.
Get your strength up
Maybe you’ve figured out how to get a 30-minute walk every day. Now add strength training to your routine. As little as 10 to 20 minutes of strength work done every day will go a long way.
Start with simple exercises like arm circles, simple squats, knee push-ups and crunches. Do 10 repetitions of each exercise, and then repeat the circuit all over again. Over time, add another set to the training.
Learn to like it – not love it
If you’re someone who absolutely hates exercise, you may never love working out, but you could learn to like it, or at least the effect it has on your health. That’s ok. What’s important is that you’re exercising.
On busy days, try squeezing in one or two brisk walks that last for at least 10 minutes. On days when you have the time, go for a longer, 30-minute walk outside or on the treadmill. Do this twice a week. Add two strength-training sessions per week.
Make exercise fun by adding a buddy or working out with your significant other. Play tennis, hike or go for a bike ride – anything that involves movement.
Get creative
If you’ve just had a baby or you have small children at home, trying to squeeze in a workout is hard. Think about ways to incorporate movement with the children.
While your child sits in a bouncy seat, run up and down the stairs or do some stand-in-place aerobic movements. Aim to walk for 10,000 steps per day and take your kids on a stroller walk or hike. Add some strength-training to get your muscles back in shape, too.
There’s no limit to what you can do when you get creative about working out. Whether you’re tight on time, hate working out or are always around your children, you can find ways to move more, get stronger and feel more energetic, which will help you control health care costs, too.
If you have questions about health care or the health insurance marketplace, contact UROne Benefits today!