Squeezing Your Exercise in No Matter What

The sun is going down earlier and the days are shorter – that means there’s less time in the day to squeeze in exercise, especially if you usually do it outdoors.

But when it comes to staying fit and active, there really is no excuse! Although experts recommend at least 45 minutes to an hour a day of working out (or 30 minutes if you’re just starting out), there isn’t always that much time available.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do it all in one go. One study showed that women who performed shorter, 10-minute exercise sessions throughout the day were not only more likely to keep it up, but they lost more weight after five months than others in the study that exercised for 40-minute sessions. That means that if you’ve been carving out tons of time to exercise and spend hours at the gym, let yourself off the hook. You’re busy, and that’s okay. Sometimes, 10 minutes here and there is all it takes.

Whether you’re recovering from the post-holiday busy schedule or you just need a new routine, here are three easy ways to sneak in exercise:

• Power walk around the house – If it’s too chilly to head around the block, why not put on your shoes and stomp around the house. A five to 10-minute power walk around your house (even better if you have stairs) can get your heart moving and your blood pumping. Set a timer and get the whole family involved!

• Work your muscles during housework – Housework always burns calories, but you can add in some extra horsepower with some creative planning. While you’re waiting for your water to boil while cooking, do standing pushups. Do jumping jacks between each towel you fold. Make scrubbing the floor a full-body workout.

• Maximize your TV time – We’re all partial to spending too much time in front of the screen, so why not put it to good use. Before you click that “next episode” button on Netflix, stop and do some crunches. March your way through the first half of the news. Or, don’t let yourself watch your favorite DVR’ed program unless you’re on the treadmill.

Exercise doesn’t have to take forever. With these exercise ideas, it’s simple to fit in a few minutes here or there for a healthier start to your year.