The American people are considered to be amongst the busiest in the world. We take less vacation days than just about any first world country. We spend hours per week commuting in a car (some spend hours each day!) How do we fit a little bit of fitness into our busy schedule?
First of all, why exercise? Healthy and younger looking skin. Exercise promotes blood flow to all parts of your body, thus providing much needed nutrition and oxygen. Your skin benefits from the increased blood flow, responding with increased elasticity, reducing the arrival of wrinkles, and minimizing their effects once they do arise.
As a fitness advocate, community musician, engineer and owner of a company, oh, and a mom and wife, I know how difficult it is to fit “one more thing” into my schedule. Here are my top 3 favorite activities when a trip to the gym is simply out of the question.
1. Stretching. Long and lean muscles are beautiful and healthy. Take advantage of some stolen minutes between meetings, during your favorite TV show or while your coffee is brewing/tea is steeping. You won’t work up a sweat, but you will get your blood flowing. Focus on your weak spots. For me, these are:
Carpel Tunnel/Wrists: Stretch out arms, interlock fingers, palms facing together and rotate outward, so the wrists are opened and palms are facing away from the body.- Hips: In classic track stretch, spread
legs out with toes facing forward. Bend at hips, hold for 15 seconds in three different positions, right leg, left leg and center. There are many yogo alternatives to this stretch. Find a few that work for you. - Shoulders: Place one arm across your chest at shoulder level
with
elbow straight. Use the other arm to pull it tight against the shoulder. Hold for 15 seconds. Simple and effective at opening muscles in your back. Repeat using the other arm. Next stretch triceps by placing one arm in the straight in the air, bending elbow down so hand comes to back of neck, use your other arm to pull on the elbow slightly. Careful not to overextend or pull to hard. Never allow your elbow to go across the center of your spine. Follow up with arm circles. Big, small, fast, slow. Any direction. Whatever works for you, your outfit and your space (cubicle, kitchen, office.) Remember, this is just to get your blood flowing until you can get to your real exercise routine.
2. Lunges. Lunges are fantastic ways to activate major energy burning muscles. Proper core form is required, which strengthens muscles and helps flatten the tummy. I squeeze this into my day while brushing teeth in the morning. Done right, lunges can cause some sweating, so it’s convenient to do them before your morning shower. I place my hands on my hips (to remind myself to focus on proper back and tummy position), suck in the tummy and step forward with my right foot far enough that my left knee sinks to within 2 inches of the ground. The right knee should form a 90º angle, with the thigh parallel to the floor. Return to standing position. Repeat, stepping with left foot. I do 15 – 30 of these for each leg, depending on schedule.
3. Heel Lifts. Throughout the day, opportunities present themselves to activate what some call “the second heart”, i.e. the calf muscles. Easy and effective. Simply stand straight up with hands at your sides. Using calf muscles, lift your body up on toes. Repeat 30 times. Rest and repeat. I do these while filling my car, during academic lectures, on the airplane or simply waiting in line.
Enjoy the benefits of these exercises. Here’s to an enjoyable, healthy day!
