3 Simple Ways To Incorporate Exercise Into Your Life
So many people want to incorporate more exercise into their lives, yet it can be quite overwhelming when you don’t know where to start. That’s where we come in! We’re here to make the process much more simple, where you won’t have to make huge changes to your routine but you will be able to feel the benefits of exercise. We all know how important exercise is for our health, from strengthening the heart to maintaining a healthy weight and ensuring all of our joints and muscles are healthy, but it can also have such a positive impact on your mental health, too. It’s also a wonderful way to keep yourself feeling young as you age. So, let’s get into it and introduce four simple ways to incorporate exercise into your life!
Commit To Exercise With A Friend
Our first tip if you struggle to get motivated when it comes to exercise is to commit to it with a friend. Find one morning or evening a week that you are both free, and agree that no matter what it is, you will commit that time to exercising together. It could be something different every week, but the main thing is that you are staying motivated and continuing to go together, having each other to hold you accountable! One week you might go for a long walk, another you might go swimming at your local pool, you might try a new gym class the next week and then maybe a yoga class. This is a great opportunity to try lots of different things, to see what you enjoy and then go more down that path. So, agree a time with a friend, try different things and you will not only enjoy the quality time with that person, but you might just fall in love with one of the types of exercise you try.
Get Your Steps In
Something that you can easily incorporate into everyday life as a form of exercise is increasing your steps! Many people recommend that you do 10,000 steps a day, but for many people, this is very unrealistic and not achievable, especially if you’re new to the world of fitness. Most smartphones track how many steps you do, so go into your health settings and have a look at what you’re currently doing. Say you’re doing 2,000 steps a day currently, try to increase those to 3,000, then the next month maybe 4,000. Do what’s achievable to you, then gradually push yourself as your body gets used to it.
There are so many ways to get more steps in, from getting off public transport a stop early and walking the rest of the way to getting up and going for a walk as soon as you get in, or heading out for a walk to clear your head after a busy day, before your day begins. You will gradually fall in love with doing more steps, as it helps to make you feel really great and is such a good way to prioritise yourself and have a few moments to yourself.
Home Workouts
Exercising doesn’t have to mean committing to an hour long gym class or going into the gym for an hour and a half. For many people, this won’t be possible on a daily basis, so instead, you should have a look at home workouts! This is all about fitting exercise into your routine and also building your confidence, so don’t forget to put on your favourite seamless leggings or sweatpants so you feel great throughout the workout, even if no one is watching! All you need to do is go onto YouTube and search for what you’re looking for. Start by typing in how long you have to workout, then the type of workout you’re looking for. Here are a few examples:
- 10 minute ab workout
- 20 minute low intensity workout
- 30 minute full body workout
- 1 hour guided yoga workout
You can find a great workout that is just the right duration for whatever you have free. So, maybe you get up 15 minutes earlier than usual before work and do a quick yoga session, or perhaps you have 30 minutes free before your child wakes up from your nap. If you’re nervous about going into a gym without experience (you shouldn’t be, but we understand if you feel a bit apprehensive), then this is a great way to build some confidence and learn some exercises, so you feel great when you walk into the gym.
