80c94c09453dfe07681fde78e769353f.jpg){kind=logo}
I just read the question at The 36-Hour Day: When do I get time to workout? For moms, this is tough. We might not have time to get to the gym, the gym might be an added expense you can't afford or maybe they don't have daycare. Whatever the reason, it's not a good enough reason to not add exercise into your routine at your home. There are many ways to add exercise to your day without joining a gym or spending a lot of money on equipment.
Here are some of my favorites:
1.) While blow drying your hair, do squats. It takes me about 10 minutes to blow dry my hair, and during that time I can do three sets of 10 to 15 squats. You will feel the burn in your butt and legs.
2.) Walk up and down the stairs while you are talking on the phone. Who needs a stairmaster if you have a set of stairs in your own home? I also walk up and down the stairs while waiting for my daughter's bus. Incorporate walking the stairs whenever you have time. It's great cardio!
3.) The kitchen is full of exercise equipment! While boiling water, baking, or broiling your chicken: Do three sets of push-ups off your kitchen counter, then pull out one of your kitchen chairs and do three sets of tricep dips. While holding onto a chair or the counter do three sets of calf raises. Of course, don't forget the old stand-by: walk in place and burn more calories. I also do calf raises while washing the dishes. I have a TV in my kitchen, so while I'm waiting for my pasta to boil, I'll put in a walking tape and work out.
4.) I walk in place while folding the laundry. Moms are great at multi-tasking -- why not take advantage of it?
5.) Practice holding in your stomach while doing housework. Don't hold your breath, just pull in your stomach muscles for a count of 15 to 20 seconds. Work your way up to 25 to 30 seconds. You can do this a few times during your day and no one will even know you're doing it.
6.) People who are always moving burn more calories. I wear a pedometer all day; it motivates me to burn calories by adding more steps/walking into my day. Try walking at least 10,000 steps a day (which equals five miles). If you add walking in place during your day and walking up and down those stairs, you will walk more then you can imagine. Pedometers are an inexpensive way to motivate yourself. I bought mine for $5.
These tips were designed for moms, because we are great at multi-tasking and time management. So, with these tips you can exercise and not change your day or spend any extra money. Let me know how it goes, I think you will be suprised by the results -- I was!
About the Author:
Diane Lang has an M.A. in Counseling. She currently works as a therapist at Universal Institute in Livingston, NJ where she provides therapy to Trauma
