How to fit more exercise into your daily life

Story and photos by Jess Norby

As we head into a new year, a large number of us make resolutions to “hit the gym” and “get in shape.”

After a week or two of daily, hourlong workouts on the fitness floor, life starts to creep its way back in. A work meeting prevents us from working out one day, and then a friend’s birthday dinner keeps us away for another. By the end of January, we’re back to our old ways: sporadic workouts, “busy” lifestyles and feelings of “Well, I’ll just wait until next month.”

Could there be an easier way?

Change Your Mindset

The first step to wellness this year should start with your mindset. Easier said than done, but if we can master a different way of thinking, we’re already making good changes. Rather than consider a “good” workout to be one that is 60 minutes in length or more, try to visualize a day filled with small bouts of activity.

Instead of thinking “gym life or no life,” see how you feel about counting all daily activities toward your goals. That includes taking the stairs — rather than the elevator — at work, short walks around the neighborhood with your children, and biking or walking to and from work.

If you’re skeptical, I understand. A long session at the gym can certainly feel more productive, but play along for a moment:

In Scenario A, we’re too tired to go to the gym and instead think, “I’ll just go tomorrow.” We sit at work for the entire day, getting up only to grab lunch. The day proceeds as normal, but we’re feeling lethargic and low in energy.

Scenario B: we’re too tired to go to the gym, but squeeze in a 15-minute walk before eating lunch, take the stairs throughout the day, and then decide to park farther away when going grocery shopping. That evening before dinner, we spend 15 minutes doing a bodyweight workout in the living room: a simple circuit of pushups, squats and jumping jacks. The result? Although we didn’t make it to the gym, you can see that we’re closer to reaching our goals than if we had stuck to Scenario A.

5 Ways to Fit More Exercise Into Your Daily Life

As with most things that relate to fitness, changing our mindsets and deciding to work in cumulative bouts of activity is easier said than done. But with a handful of ideas like the ones below, we can be on our way to a better and fitter 2017! Below are five ways in which you can fit more exercise into your daily life:

1. Before you eat lunch, take a brisk walk around the block, building or neighborhood: A short, 15-30 minute walk is good for the mind and body. It could re-energize us for the remaining part of the workday, get our heart rates up for a bit and help clear our heads. No worries about making it “hard and heavy” — I know you’ll be in your office attire …
2. Embrace the power of bodyweight workouts: No time for the gym, no problem. If it’s hard to muster up motivation for a long gym session, think of how awesome it will feel after committing to a 15-minute workout in your basement or living room! With a combination of exercise like lunges, squats, pushups and planks, you can complete a challenging workout in the comfort — or discomfort — of your home.
3. Choose the stairs over escalators and elevators: This sounds like a no-brainer, but you’ll be amazed at how many more steps you can take throughout the day with this easy switch.
4. Get the whole family involved in a more active lifestyle: Who says your fitness journey has to be solo? Involving the family can be a fun way to spend more quality time together, while simultaneously staying in shape. Weekend bike rides, walks downtown (or even at the mall) or classes at the local yoga studio are ideas you could test out on family members. One of the activities is bound to catch someone’s attention!
5. Switch up the routine: With the winter season meaning we gain a little more light each day, it could still mean that evening workouts are done when it’s dark outside. Solution? Try rearranging your schedule for morning or lunchtime workouts. That way, you will have completed your workout before the sun begins to set; nothing like feeling that sense of post-workout accomplishment!

Small Steps Lead to Big Changes

No big changes were ever made in one swift moment. Making progress means that we commit to being consistent and open to new ideas in order to succeed. If our goal every single year is to “go to the gym for one hour, five days a week” and it didn’t work, why try for the same thing again?

By adjusting our mindsets to one that embraces cumulative bouts of exercise, rather than one “hard and heavy” workout, we can still work toward being fitter and healthier. Getting creative in how we fit in more movement can incorporate bodyweight workouts, quality family time and even rearranging our schedule. With those small steps day-in and day-out, we’re guaranteed to FINALLY see the big changes we’ve been aiming for! ML

Jess Norby is an ACSM certified personal trainer and yoga teacher in Charlottesville, VA. Through her personal training and blogging, she hopes to share her experiences with living a balanced lifestyle: a lifestyle that includes an emphasis on strength and core training, moving as much as we can for health, while also enjoying those moments of indulgence.