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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I try to park farther away from businesses than I used to, and take stairs instead of elevators or escalators. I love playing Pokemon Go, so I take a 30 minute brisk walk to hatch eggs and catch Pokemon!
Playing with my children! My 8 year old son always wants me to play basketball, soccer or street hockey with him (even though I have no clue). My 5 year old daughter always ask me to ride her bike with her or go collect things for her " collection" like rocks, sticks, leaves, anything nature-ish. It's non-stop! I'm pooped by the end of the day but I stay active with them! They've got great energy. 😊
Many great ideas! I love walking with my friends, working out together, is always more fun!
I love using RC and Peppermint before runs. I also love mowing the lawn and listening to a good book or music while also getting in a good workout.
I am at home almost everyday. While I am sitting at my desk I will flex my feet. Like the "raise the bar" suggestion above, but while sitting. I stretch my legs out in front of me and point my toes to give my legs an extra stretch, When going from one end of the house to the other, I jog or high step instead of just walking. I will carry the laundry basket to the laundry room and dump the clothes on the floor and then bend over or squat and pick up one piece at a time until all are in the washer.
Great tips! I especially Sally like the office ideas and yoga poses. I lemon and or grapefruit in my water everyday! Thank you, Young Living!
I like to use tv commercials to squeeze in extra exercise. During the commercial break I will do squats, lunges, crunches or anything active. Its a fast two minutes and it adds up!!
I work in a 4 story building and take the stairs instead of the elevators. When sitting at my desk, I swivel from side to side (right to left, left to right) tightening my abdominal muscles while I twist back and forth. When at home, I sit on a balance ball at my desk and keeping good posture and tightening my abdominals while I gently twist back and forth. I drink water (at least half my weight in ounces) with lemon or peppermint in my water to stay hydrated.
Two or Three days a week I like to do Water Aerobics immediately after work. This is a great stress reliever and energy boost for me. Then before bed I diffuse Stress Away & Lavender. Very restful night.
Since I am at work for most of the day I make sure I use the bathroom on the floor below me so I have to take the stairs. Sometimes on the way up I do 2 at a time to get the heart rate up a little. I also workout on my lunch hour, just a 1/2 hour a day. This helps keep me focused and able to make it through the rest of the workday!