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).
Giveaway rules:
View Comments
I have a Gazelle. I use it while watching The Big Bang Theory. I love that show, and I don't even realize I am exercising. I put Grapefruit Vitality in my water that I drink while exercising.
I find that I pace a lot when on the phone which is better than just sitting but not productive. I have a box I keep by the stairs of all the items that have wandered downstairs. Now when I'm on the phone I take one item at a time upstairs and put it away. That gives me several trips up and down the steps!
We love to take walks as a family -- especially in the evenings. The kids can ride their bikes or scooters or walk with us. It's a fun, relaxed way to keep everyone active.
The one thing that my husband always does is turn on some music while we did household chores, prepped meals or had friends and family over. It never fails to make us all want to get up and dance! Even for car trips, from the time the kids were just butter beans to now that we are empty nester's we turn music on in the car and dance along the way!
To enhance the mood and lift the spirits add some citrus and peppermint, maybe some EnRGee or Joy to that diffuser and get up and dance!
A way I fit in exercise is by going on a long walk with my kiddos every afternoon. I push the baby in the stroller and my (almost) 3 year old rides his motorcycle. He is so fast now that I usually have to jog to keep up with him..bonus! There is also nothing better than swinging my baby overhead to hear those giggles. Add in squats while doing it, more giggles and toned quads is a win win for both of us!
For i have arthritis in my spine.. my exercising is at nite on my bed.. with leg lifts, knee to chest and admoninal crunches so it dont hurt my spine, but yet work off my lower stomach..
Exercise during commercial breaks of your favorite show...it can be planks, sit ups, squats, lunges...this list of options is endless!
I made a commitment to always take the stairs. I work on the 4th floor and a lot of the other departments I visit are in the basement, so it's a guaranteed calorie burner. I also stopped just taking my dog to the park around the corner every day, and opt instead for taking him for long walks so we both get the exercise.
Walking the dog, and when I do laundry I go up and down the stairs a couple of time extra
I love the Hot Seat exercise suggestion! Not everyday I can get to the gym and remembering I can do simple things during my daily routine is really helpful. Thank you for the tips!