Making Exercise Part of Your Daily Routine

In the high tech, time-saving world of Internet, computers, cell phones, email and faxes – all of which are supposed to simplify our lives and give us MORE free time, we still can’t find the time to take care of ourselves – or so we think.  Perhaps we don’t value ourselves as much as we value our hardware or software.  Sometimes we may think that we don’t have the time to exercise. But in fact, we do.

Prioritize and organize. These are two key words to learn and put into practice.  Use your time efficiently, and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish before the end of the day.  Although some people like to do a complete 1-hour exercise session 4 or 5 times a week, shorter, more frequent sessions are also an option. The most important thing to remember is that something is much better than nothing.  Keeping these points in mind, let’s see how, given your busy schedule, you can still incorporate the proper amount of exercise into your day.

First, in the morning, wake up just 5 minutes earlier.  After you have a few glasses of water, do a 2-minute simple calisthenics routine.  Then, spend another 4-5 minutes doing some easy stretching.  Now, if you are going to work, walk two bus stops away and get off two bus stops before your destination.  If you drive, park far enough away so that you get an 8-10 minute walk to work.  Try not to use the elevator to get to your office.  Use the stairs. (This applies to everyone, all the time.) At your lunch break, take 15 minutes to eat and go outside with friends and walk for 15-20 minutes.  You’ll feel refreshed when you come back. And an added benefit… You’ll most likely find that it will improve your ability to work efficiently.  

Later in your working day, take a 5-minute break.  Drink a glass of water, and then do 15 pushups against the wall of your office.  Then, try squatting and standing up again 8-12 times.  While sitting at your desk, do seated çrunches as follows:

Sit up tall with one hand behind your head and the other one holding onto the edge of your chair’s seat. Pull your abdominal muscles inward. Slowly curl down and forward just a few inches. As you do so, pull your abs in even tighter. Hold a moment and then slowly uncurl to a very tall position. This move strengthens your abdominal muscles.  Try 10 or so.  

During the course of the day, you can try some of these basic desk stretches:

Stretch your shoulders and neck by gently rolling your shoulders clockwise and counter clockwise 10 times in each direction.

Stretch your lower back by draping forward over your lap.

To stretch the back of your leg, extend your leg, lean over in your chair and reach your arms towards your feet. You can increase the effectiveness of this stretch by lifting your toe up in the air. (Repeat on both sides.)

At the end of the workday, when you’re on the way home, make sure you get in another 5-10 minutes of brisk walking.  Between all those staircases and walking, you’ve probably accumulated about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise for the day. As you can see, every little bit helps. And beyond these tips, it helps to approach every day and every situation as a workout waiting to happen. If you have the time, or can try hard to make the time, there are certainly better and more beneficial ways to work out, but on the days that you just can’t manage more time, just fit it in wherever you can. With a little initiative, you can  “add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.”

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 14 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss and stress reduction center Lose It! along with Linda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected]  Check out the Lose It! web site – www.loseit.co.il.  US Line: 516-568-5027.

 (Alan Freishtat – YWN)