Easy Exercises to do at Home and Work
You know you need to exercise. Everywhere you turn, health experts are telling you that for good health and longer life, you must become more physically active. But not everyone has the money and the time that joining a gym and then actually using the membership requires. Between taking the kids to school, getting to work on time, going to extracurricular activities after school and running errands, who has the time to get to the gym?
The good news is that you do not have to buy an expensive gym membership in order to get fit. And you do not even need lots of fancy equipment. All you need is a few minutes each day, whether at home or work. In fact, as little as thirty minutes a day is enough to make a significant impact on your health. Regular exercise can lower your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, alleviate the symptoms of depression and help with weight control.
The important thing to keep in mind is that every little bit helps. If you only have ten minutes to exercise some days, then exercise for ten minutes. Do not make the mistake of thinking if you can’t do a full workout, then you might as well not do anything at all. Even small amounts of exercise can be beneficial.
Try these suggestions for easy exercises that you can do at home or work.
1. Strength train. Challenging your muscles is crucial for increased energy, strong bones and good insulin control. But you don’t have to have a barbell to give your muscles a workout. If you are at home, grab a couple jugs of milk or 2 liter-soda bottles and do shoulder presses and one-legged bent over rows:
- Shoulder press: While standing up straight with your elbows raised to be in line with your shoulders, lift the jugs straight up over your head and slowly lower them back down. Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions each, resting for 65 seconds between each set.
- One-legged bent over rows: Stand on one leg and bend over at your hips so that your shoulders form a straight line with your hips. Lift the jugs up to your abdomen and then slowly lower them back down. Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions each, resting for 65 seconds between each set. Switch legs and repeat.
2. Balance. As we age, we begin to lose our balance. This is one of the reasons we fall more as we age. But balance practice is the way to keep and even improve your balance. Try the following drills to start working on your balance.
- Stand on one leg and bend over at the hips, with your other foot sticking straight out behind you. Hold for as long as you can. Switch feet and repeat.
- With your eyes closed, lift one foot of the ground and hold as long as possible. Switch feet and repeat.
3. Cardiovascular. Getting your heart rate up is a great way to prevent heart disease and stimulate your brain to release endorphins. Try the following ideas to get a good cardio workout in at home or at the office.
- Walk the stairs
- Jog in place
- Jump rope
- Jumping jacks
- Push ups