This blog post isn’t for those who have their gym memberships, their Cross-fit gang, or their running groups. It’s not for those that have time to set aside an hour or two daily to get their pump on. It is for the everyday Joe, who finds the national recommendations of 30 minutes moderate intensity exercise daily overwhelming.

 

 

My word of advice – it is possible, you just need to make some simple swaps.

Everybody’s schedules are different, so there is no one fit for all, it is all about finding what fits for YOU and YOUR lifestyle at this current point in your life.

Below are some suggestions – keep in mind that you can do 3 bouts of 10 minute exercise, 6 lots of 5 minutes of exercise, it doesn’t have to be all at once!

 

 

• Take the stairs – yep the stairs, you know those concrete things next to the escalators in train stations, those tucked away ones in shopping centers, those pesky things in every office building, airport etc. Take them! Half the time it is quicker than the slow wait anyway.
• Go for a walk during your lunch break – Does your job involve sitting at a desk for hours on end? Why not use your lunch break to go for a short stroll. If you have a 1 hour lunch break, spare the last half, or even 15-20 minutes to go for a walk. Even just doing a lap of your building or a block or two outside all adds up.
• Walk before or after work – No time to walk during your lunch break? No problems! Think of all the times you arrive at work 15 minutes earlier because of lack of traffic that day, what a perfect time to use to wander around. No time before work? Try after.
• Never waste an opportunity waiting – Live in a double story house? Go up and down the stairs a few extra time whilst waiting for dinner to cook, or do 10 squats waiting for the microwave to finish. Do some walking lunges around the house? Do some bicep curls with some cans, get creative!
• Ride or walk to work – Live within a couple of kilometers to work? Get your bike or you walking shoes out.
• Walk to the shops – Need milk? Put the car keys away and get your dog leash out. Not only will your dog be happy for the adventure, but your body will be happy for the exercise. Even better, hold your groceries with your arm at a 90 degree angle to get some strength exercise simultaneously!

The moral of this post is that it IS possible to meet the guidelines, and it IS possible to work exercise into your day. It’s just about a bit of prioritization!

Maddison Evans
Dietitian