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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There are some great tips here- thanks!
I like to do calf stretches and toe raises on the steps while I'm enjoying time outside with my dog. Will also do tricep dips at my desk when I need a break and need to refocus.
Who says you can burn calories dancing in your kitchen. Just move and groove, keep you core tight and sneak in a "workout" while you're making dinner
Walking is my favorite exercise but housework to some peppy music keeps me fit as well.
I love this article! I'll definitely use some of these tips. My fiancé and I found a way to keep us accountable when we're at home by ourselves. We picked a different exercise to do depending on what room we go to in our house. For example, every time I go to the kitchen, I do 5 push-ups; bathroom 10 squats (pun intended!); laundry room 10 side planks, etc. This adds up SO fast, but having the exercises broken up really helps!
Rotation of the wrist, shoulder, neck and head clockwise and anti-clockwise 10reps each side. Breathing in and out flushes toxins from the lungs and sun salutions
When I do squats or box jumps I feel that burn all day. That is when my Cool Azul sports gel comes in extremely handy.
I stay active throughout the day by doing squats whenever I need to pick something up. And whenever I pick up my two year old, I will lift him above my head before putting him on my hip! :)
I love incorporating my little one's play time with my exercise. And going for family walks are the best!
Love these ideas! I set my calendar at work to do planks 2x a day at 10a & 2pm for 2mins each (started @ 1min each a month ago. I also walk a min. of 250 steps every hour while at work. After dinner, at home I walk around the block when not raining, if raining I do short jog spirts while doing chores. I also hoola hoop for 30mins, 4x week (started @ 10mins 3 mos. ago), this one is my favorite because it reminds me of my childhood/free & easy time and it was easy to start doing it during commercials when I use to be a couch potato! :)
I like the idea of setting a reminder on my computer at work to get up and move every hour!