Work, household chores, errands, playtime, dinner, laundry—with so many things to do and not many hours in the day, finding time to exercise is difficult. To help you fit in the physical activity your body craves, we’ve rounded up some simple, quick workout routines you can fit into your daily schedule. With these fast exercise ideas, you’ll be able to stay moving even when you don’t have time to hit the gym.
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” –John C. Maxwell
Wake up and warm up with this in-bed exercise! Lie on your back and lift your legs about 6 inches off the bed. Keep your abs tights, back flat, feet together, arms to your sides, and knees straight as you use your feet to draw small circles in the air without touching the bed. Do 20 circles clockwise and 20 circles counterclockwise.
Brush up on your calf raises while you brush your teeth! Start flat-footed and raise to your toes until you get a tight flex. Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
If you have a desk job, it’s important to get up and move at least every 2 hours. Do some standing stretches for your arms, neck, back, and legs; squat a few times; or walk around your floor or building. The movement helps your body and helps you clear your head and stay productive!
Stuck in 5 o’clock traffic? Turn up the radio and move to the beat. You’ll burn some extra calories and make the wait a little more fun. For an extra boost, add some ab, glute, or thigh flexing. Just make sure you keep an eye on the road and remember safety first!
Start by sitting up straight. Squeeze your glute muscles and pulse 50 times. Rest for 5 seconds and repeat until you feel a good burn. Take your desk workout a step further and work your thighs too! Place your feet on the floor with your legs together. Press your knees in so you feel your inner thighs working. Pulse 50 times and repeat as desired.
Make exercise fun for the kids! If you have a baby, hold a plank position on your hands for 30 seconds while your hover over him or her. Lower into a pushup and kiss your baby on the forehead. Come up and repeat as many times as you can. Give your legs some attention by doing wall sits as you read your children a book or review their homework.
Burn calories while you clean the carpet. Push the vacuum only as far as your arm extends and return it to your body without moving your feet. Switch arms every 5 minutes. This quick push-pull motion targets your arm muscles and burns up to 100 calories in 30 minutes! The heavier your vacuum, the more strengthening this exercise is. Use the same method of mopping and sweeping—you’ll burn up to 100 calories in 30 minutes while mopping and 100 calories in 45 minutes while sweeping. Burn a few extra calories and clean the baseboards too!
Take advantage of your downtime during dinner! Do some push-ups against the counter while the vegetables cook or jumping jacks while you wait for the water to boil. Do 3 sets of 20 reps of one or both exercises.
There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the classics, and a walk around the block is fun for the whole family. Take your kids, spouse, or dog for a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood. This is a great after-dinner activity to beat a post-meal crash. Plus, you can spend time with your family and stay moving.
Unwind after a long day with a few calming or rejuvenating yoga poses. Pair your practice with your favorite essential oils such as Frankincense, Lavender, or Stress Away™. Try some of our simple, sweat-free yoga poses to get started!
Remember to hydrate all day to make your moves most effective and keep your body healthy. Add Vitality™ oils to give your water an extra splash of flavor!
What exercise tips help you feel the burn throughout the day? Share your suggestions below for a chance to win 15ml Frankincense, 15ml Stress Away, 15ml Lavender, and Pure Protein Complete Vanilla Spice (valued at $252.30).
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Running after my 2 year old helps ;)
I work at an office during the day and about 3 times a day we do a "fire drill" which includes briskly walking around the office doing arm circles forward and backward, up and down. We also throw in jumping jacks, lunges across the office and deep breathing techniques. Just getting out of your chair and moving a bit helps our circulation and breaks up the day. You never know when someone will call fire drill!
Still working on making Torch calories -and Grime into my daily routine. There are several others that I want to become part of my routine as well
I actually like 5-6 drops of lemongrass in a capsule to help my focus and concentration at the gym. I work out first thing in the morning and find lemongrass works better than caffeine.
Everyday Quick Exercise Tips:
1. While brushing teeth, hold on to counter and lift leg to side 25 times & then back 25 times; repeat with other leg.
2. Any time you need to go from one room to the next, 'lunge it'. Do lunges to and from the room (keep your front ankle directly below your knee). Why it's a winner: works all muscles of lower body as well as improves your balance. Increase difficulty by lifting light weights (water bottles) by using bicep curls with each lunge.
**Reward yourself with a cup of tea and a couple of drops of your favorite Essential Oil!
Applying fitness, rc and peppermint before going to the gym. Allows me to get a longer workout in. This keeps the burm going throughout the day. There's nothing like a good workout followed by cool Azul sports gel for the sore muscles.
In the morning, I do a quick stretch right out of bed, up to the sky and a 10 second toe touch. Then, I'll have some warm water with a drop of lemon and a little honey to get the day going. I'll hula hoop in the morning if there's time 😉 and I love drinking grapefruit vitality water with my workouts (or peppermint if it's hot out). At work, I routinely stretch myself out when I get a few minutes. At the end of the day, I have my stress away in the diffuser while I wind down with my babe and my dogs!
Having a partner to hold me accountable to go to the gym and help me push me as well as choosing to make conscious choices to not take the easy way out. Instead of emailing a co-worker a question, getting up and walking to their desk/office. Parking further away in parking lots for a little bit of an extra walk.
Our wellness coordinator is now offering 2 classes a week for staff, so I always put it on the calendar and show up! It's a huge benefit - and I love wearing my fitness oil for this half hour of ME time. If I don't prioritize my health...that's on me....no one else. <3
I like the idea of burning calories before you eat them when cooking. Just pay attention and don't burn the dinner.