Even though we all know we need exercise, getting to the gym is a tall order when life is busy. Fortunately, you can do some simple things to fit exercise into your day when the gym is not an option.
1. Leave Your Car at Home
If it’s feasible, when you need to take a trip to the store or run another errand, leave your car parked and walk or ride your bike. You can get in a few good miles and take care of business at the same time.
2. Take the Stairs
Say no to elevators at work and take the stairs instead. You can jog up the stairs to get even more cardio benefits. Doing this twice a day can burn a lot of calories and also give you more energy and brainpower to do your job.
3. Walk While You’re on the Phone
Make a habit of pacing while you’re on your cell phone, whether you’re at work or at home. If you’re on your phone a lot, you can rack up quite a number of steps per day.
4. Park Farther Away
We all try to park as close as possible to our destination, whether at work or at the store. Try doing the opposite and park far away so that you can get in some steps.
5. Find Your Sport
Have some fun and get exercise at the same time by taking up a sport that you like and playing as often as possible. It could be tennis, golf (go cartless), or even dancing. Just pick something that you enjoy.
The Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise has more benefits than you might think.
Boosts Your Mood
When you engage in physical activity, endorphins, known as the “feel good hormones,” are released, boosting your mood. This can reduce stress, anxiety, and even pain. Exercise also reduces the stress hormone cortisol, a chemical linked to anxiety and depression.
Weight Management
Of course, exercise burns calories, which can help you manage your weight and keep it at a healthy level. You can get a fitness tracker to find out how many calories you’re burning when you take the stairs or hike across a parking lot. For weight maintenance, men should typically burn 2000 to 3000 calories per day, while women should burn 1600 to 2400. For weight loss, a calorie deficit of 350 to 500 calories per day should lead to one pound of weight loss per week.
Strengthens Muscles and Bones
Aging causes a loss of muscle mass and strength, but exercise can reduce muscle loss and allow you to remain strong when you’re older. Physical activity also builds bone density, which can help to prevent osteoporosis.
Reduced Disease Risk
Regular exercise can reduce the risks of conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, chronic back pain, and even cancer. Exercise can also slow the progression and relieve the symptoms of some diseases, including diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.
Cardiovascular Health
Regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle and reduces coronary heart disease risk factors by lowering blood pressure and raising good cholesterol levels. It also reduces the risk of heart attacks. Studies have shown that people who meet physical activity guidelines have a more than 20% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Exceeding those guidelines can reduce the risk even more.
Brain Health
Regular exercise can increase the thickness of your cerebral cortex and leads to more neuroplasticity. This improves memory and the ability to learn and also reduces the risk of cognitive decline as you age. In fact, studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are up to 20% less likely to develop dementia.
Increased Energy
Exercise sends more oxygen and nutrients to your body’s tissues, which increases energy. It also increases muscle strength and endurance. Regular physical activity also decreases fatigue.
Better Sleep
Exercise does several things to improve your sleep. It helps to regulate your sleep cycle, reduces stress, regulates your body temperature, and increases the production of melatonin.
Better Sex
Exercise boosts sex hormones, giving you more of a sex drive and better sexual function. Note also that sex itself can be good exercise. You can add that to your list of how to work exercise into your day.
Live Longer
Many studies have shown that physically active people have longer life expectancies. This is likely due to decreased risks of disease, particularly cardiovascular diseases. The increase in life expectancy also seems to be related to the amount of exercise you do, with more exercise adding more years to your life.
In Closing
Any regular physical activity is good for you, and more is better. You can find plenty of ways to work exercise into your day, even when you can’t go to the gym. However, starting a regular workout schedule, whether at the gym or at home, is still important. Health Service Alliance can provide you with resources to help you design the best exercise plan for you, so give us a call today.
