Old thinking was to workout in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. Only that qualified as real exercise. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your health and fitness level, especially if you’re new at workout. Exercise is beneficial no matter what shape and form the workout takes.
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. That is exercise and counts for a workout. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better health and fitness.
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, exercise! Do ten stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to hundred. Think you’ll never get there? Try it. Workout is all about pushing yourself harder, you can do that in bed too. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up fifteen minutes earlier to exercise, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach and better health and fitness.
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs, is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster; a guarantee to better overall health and fitness. Feel like Cha-Cha today? Then do it! Don’t know how to. At least try doing it! The learning process will be enough exercise to qualify as a great workout.
Think 'move' in small amounts of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.
