If you want to be healthier, if you want to lose weight, or if you’re hoping to gain some muscle mass, you probably assume you need to get a membership at your local gym. Although working out at the gym can help, don’t make the mistake of thinking you have to go every single day if you want to be healthy.
It turns out, the healthiest people in the world don’t go to the gym. Instead, they find ways to move throughout their day. You can do that too!
Ride a Bike to Work
One of the best things you can do is skip driving your car or riding on the bus every day when you’re going to work. Instead, hop on a bike.
Riding a bike isn’t quite as scary as it may seem at first, as long as you do some planning. Most cities have routes that connect every area of the city with bike-friendly trails. For example, Port Richey is a small town outside the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Area, but it features many biking trails that connect nearly every area of the town, in addition to connecting to the larger metropolitan area.
Look and see what biking trails are available in your area, or pay attention to bike routes that are drawn onto the street the next time you’re on your way to work. Even riding just one day a week can boost your health.
Take the Stairs
As you’re going about your day, you probably automatically take the elevator without thinking about it. It can be convenient if your arms are full or if you didn’t get a lot of sleep the night before, but it’s actually much better to take the stairs.
There are many reasons why taking the stairs is really good for you. It’s one of the best cardiovascular workouts you can do, which means it can improve your heart health, extend your life, and reduce the risk of stroke. Not to mention, it is a great way to burn calories and build the muscles in your legs.
Park Far Away From the Door
Whether you’re parking in the morning before starting work or you’re looking for a spot at the grocery store, it’s normal to automatically search for the closest spot possible. If you want to get a little more exercise into your day, you should do the opposite.
Instead, park far away from the door. It will force you to get more steps in as you walk back and forth to your car.
Try not to make any excuses either! If it’s raining, make sure you bring your umbrella, and leave a few minutes earlier so the extra walk doesn’t make you late to work. If you’re at the grocery store, leave the cart at the door and get a little extra exercise by carrying your groceries to your car!
Learn Some Desk Workouts
Many of us spend the majority of our days sitting at a desk. Squeezing in time to work out can be hard to do when such a large chunk of your day is spent sitting!
Instead of assuming exercise is something you have to do when you get up, learn a few exercises you can do right at your desk. Get started with a few exercises that include:
- Segmented cat-cow can help with upper and lower back mobility
- Figure four stretch is great for your hips and glutes
- Seated thoracic rotation helps with neck pain and enhances breathing
- Wrist controlled articular rotations can help with carpal tunnel syndrome
Work Out While Watching TV
At the end of a long day, you may look forward to relaxing in front of the TV. That can be bad for your body if you already spent your day sitting at a desk.
Instead of skipping your favorite show and hitting the gym, workout while watching TV! The easiest way to work out is to dust off that elliptical or purchase an affordable treadmill so you can get some steps in while you watch. If you don’t have a workout machine, you can still do aerobic activities and lift weights.
There’s nothing wrong with going to the gym every day to enhance your health. Just don’t automatically assume that you have to go if you want to add more movement to your day. There are many ways you can squeeze in a little more activity throughout your day without spending any money on a gym membership.