How to Make Your Everyday Exercise Count!
This year, I’ve got to kick myself in gear and work off my post-baby weight. I have been thinking about how much I already move throughout my typical day an how I can keep at what I already do, and improve it to make my movements add up and make a difference without feeling like a workout routine. This year, I am challenging myself to take more steps throughout the day and make the movements I’m already doing daily to really count towards building muscle and burning calories.
Here are some ideas on how to make the most of what exercises you’re already doing every day without even thinking about it!
I am a Sears Blogger. All opinions are my own.
Make Your Everyday Exercise Count
Walk, Walk, Walk – This one is obvious, but have you ever tracked how many steps you take just walking around your home if you are a stay at home mom? You can easily rack up steps without even leaving your home. If you head off on errands or work outside of the home, your step counts will go even higher. Make walking work better for you by sucking in your belly. Imagine you are pulling your belly button inward. This will help to tighten your core, while just making the most of those steps you’re already taking.
Make Sitting Matter – When you take a seat, use the opportunity to get a good stretch to improve your flexibility. You can sit in a butterfly position or work your way towards being able to do splits. Or, if you’re sitting on a couch or dining chair, you can do leg lifts and challenge how long you can hold each leg straight out. Tighten your glutes or calf muscles to help tone them.
Reach & Stretch – When you’re reaching up high to grab that serving bowl or to pull down a tub of laundry detergent, use those moments to stretch. First, reach up as high as you can, interlocking your fingers. Then, go ahead and grab what you were reaching for, tightening your arm muscles to use the item like a weight to train your arms.
Pick-up Duty – When you drop something like your pen to the floor on accident, instead of just bending at the knees and picking up your pencil and going on your way, use this as an opportunity to do a squat to bend down like you are sitting on a low bench and hold it for a few seconds before you grab your item and go on with your day. Or, bend at your middle keeping your knees mostly straight to get a good stretch and roll your body back up.
Cooking Dinner – Turn meal prep into a workout! Grab those cans and sack of flour you’re hosting around and do a few arm reps before you crack them open and pour in the ingredients. Whisking and stirring can strengthen your wrist and arm. Keep at it with one arm until you start to feel tired before switching hands. Use your time watching the pot boil to do knee lifts. Lift your knee and bring your arms down to your knee, rotating each leg.
There are probably hundreds of other ways you’re moving throughout the day. Get creative and take advantage of playtime on the floor with the kids or scrubbing your counter, or organizing your closet. No matter how you’re moving, tighten those muscles and flex them while you work to help tone and strength your body.
Get Rewarded to Exercise – FitStudio #Achieve15
Sears, America’s #1 fitness retailer, just relaunched their free fitness destination – FitStudio.com. You can find reviews and ratings on top fitness gear that clearly outline key areas such as comfort, performance, features and value along with an overall score based on their ratings. Each product also has a video testimonial that highlights unique features to help you find the right products for your fitness goals. FitStudio.com even has a personalize Deal of the Day where you can select what type of equipment you are shopping for and a new daily deal in that area will be presented to you in your Shop Your Way account. You can get one new promotional deal per day, but offers must be redeemed within 7 days before they expire.
Then, browse resources that can help you get and stay fit including free workouts and articles on nutrition and fitness. Set your own goals in the goals center and chart your progress on your dashboard!
You can even rewards to congratulate your everyday activity! By joining FitStudio.com for free and connecting a fitness app or device to your account, you can earn Shop Your Way points through the Points for Progress program that can be redeemed for merchandise in stores and online at Sears and Kmart. Right now, they are hosting an #Achieve15 challenge. Members that burn 1,500 calories or walk/run 15 miles in 2015 will earn $5 (5,000 points) in Shop Your Way points! You can earn points by sharing your progress on social media and getting active daily with 2 miles spent walking or running or 200 calories burned per day.
If you’re not already a member of FitStudio.com, what are you waiting for? There’s nothing to lose by that spare tire! It’s completely free to join and you can even earn rewards that can be cashed out into awesome merchandise to help you with your workout as you meet your goals! Head over to FitStudio.com to sign-up today!
Walking in the best exercise for me. It doesn’t stress out my muscles and it doesn’t activate my asthma.
i cannot wait to get out and walk. we have an awesome neighborhood for walks, but right now there is 2 feet of snow outside!
Walking is what I do almost every day–even if it’s to take a walk around our apartment complex or walking to the local grocery!
I agree! there are so many good ways of getting exercise and movement into the day!
These are great ideas to keep exercise on the mind at all times. I love the idea of doing stretches and lifts even while sitting.
I try to walk, take the stairs too! On occasion, yoga! It is great!
I make sure my son and I go on daily walks. It’s a nice break to get out of the house and I don’t mind burning some extra calories!
I like to have dance parties with my toddler- I know that they burn some calories!
I have a rule that I must pace the apartment whenever the Keurig or microwave are going. They’re not the longest time intervals but it does get me moving. And since I sit and work 14 hour days, I can take all the help I can.
I tracked 500 miles walking last year over a six month period. Now my walking partner doesn’t walk anymore so I’m back at the gym.
I am a big workout fan. I try to make everything I do count as a workout!
I try to make every move count. I figure everything we do burns calories, right?
My goal is to walk more this year.
I get up and walk around the office every half hour and drink lots of water
My goal is to swim 3 times a week. And walk a lot.
I don’t have a dishwasher so when I am doing dishes I do leg lifts. I lift each leg out to the side and do it the whole time I’m doing dishes. These are all great tips. I like to incorporate exercise into my routine each day.
Thank you for these great tips I just recently started to lose weight and incorporating exercise into my routine. these tips really help me get in gear and get moving.
I make sure I allot 1hr for my exercise routine. Also, I started eating healthy!
I’ve just bought myself a Garmin satellite watch which has allowed me to vary my jogging routine considerably. I can just start running in any direction and when my jog is half done, head home the same way I came.
I also am working at this some more great ideas especially the squatting
I had brain surgery a few months ago and it has been hard to get back into moving. At present walk in malls and outside weather permitting.
I usually walk a lot, and when I need to I always take the stairs. I also love to use my baby jogger to jog around with the kids.
That is actually one of my ressolutions is to sit less and move more. My biggest suggestion is to get off of social media. I allow myself a few hours a day… that sounds like still alot and it is, but not nearly an all day thing like it could be. I also comment aa lot of places which takes time, but I enjoy many bloggers.
Great tips for making exercising count. I try to walk at least 3 days a week around the block several times.
This is a great incentive to earn Shop Your Way points and get in shape too! I can attest to how great walking is. After my son was born I lost 100 lbs by walking.I would put him in his stroller and I would walk a mile everyday.
I make sure to walk at lunch time 30 minutes a day! And I also do 15 minutes of yoga a day. I always sleep better and feel better when I exercise!