Workouts on the go

As a kid I went swimming all summer long, ran around outside, did cartwheels and back flips through the house (much to my mother's dismay) and generally never really sat still. Keeping healthy and exercising has been an important part of my life for about as long as I can remember.

I went through a couple of phases where my activity went down and my weight went up through the years. Once right after my grandparents sold the house with the pool (probably not a coincidence) and once in college.

Both times I made some lifestyle changes and felt so much better when I did. Neither time was I really trying to lose weight, I just wanted to be healthier, more active, feel better and make better food choices. Everything else followed over time. It didn't happen overnight but it happened.

Fast forward a few years and I was running and/or hitting the gym usually 5-6 days a week and often twice a day. It was a large part of my social life as well as just the lifestyle I had made a habit. My routine included distance running, Pilates, yoga, resistance training, spin classes and a variety of other things.

Fast forward a few more years, several job changes, getting married, four house moves. I am no longer a gym member for various reasons, most of my running friends don't run anymore, and life always seems to have more to do than it used to.

So even though I miss the level of fitness I used to have and hope to get back a little closer to it one of these days, I've found ways to adapt and make sure I'm getting some exercise during those busy days and weeks when it almost seems impossible. I know how important it is for my health and happiness so I have become quite creative in figuring out ways to make it happen.

Now my exercise physiology trained background does shake my head at the way it gets done sometimes and think "how have I come to this?" but my realistic self who has a lot of other stuff to get done is just happy to fit in something. Hey it's better than not doing anything!

So here are a few ideas for those who are too busy to hit the gym, or maybe the gym is just not your thing for other reasons like they're intimidating, expensive, inconvenient, whatever it may be. You don't have to go to the gym to be healthy, you just have to be determined to make it happen!

• When you're home, intersperse exercises with cooking, housework or other household jobs.

For example I often insert exercises between housecleaning tasks. Wipe down the counter, do a set of squats. Clean the toilet then lunge to the next bathroom and do the same. It's a terribly exciting life I live. HA!

Some things like calf raises can easily be done while washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Other things like bicep curls require a little more planning. So...

• Plan ahead to make it work

While I'm cleaning, cooking, paying bills or whatever else I might have to do when I get home from work, I'll often pull out a set a dumbbells and place them in the middle of the house. This way I can grab them as I walk from room to room or in between tasks and complete a set of bicep curls, triceps, shoulder presses, etc.

If I didn't plan to do this when I got started with whatever it is I'm doing I find I would just keep on doing the task at hand and by the time I'm done it's a lot harder to go get the weights and do the workout. I can convince myself to stop for a set here and there a lot easier if the weights are already nearby waiting on me.

It also makes it more interesting since keeping up with all my sets and reps occupies my mind while I'm scrubbing the toilets or sweeping the floors. Ha! If you'd rather not add that mental exercise you can grab a notepad and pen and keep up with your sets. I aim for 3 sets, usually 8-12 reps per exercise. If I don't have that kind of time though, I just do what I can. Which leads me to...

• Don't judge yourself for not doing more.

Remember anything is better than nothing. Is it the best way to workout? No. Is it better than giving up, doing nothing to get exercise and eating a twinkie. YES! I don't even like twinkies, but you know what I mean.

• It doesn't matter what you wear. (just as long as you are theerree - sorry couldn't help it)

I love the moment that I get home from work and can take off my yucky work clothes and put on something fresh. I throw on whatever the first workout clothes I come to are with no regard to whether or not they match. Sometimes they aren't even workout clothes, it might just be whatever is nearby. As long as it's comfortable and works for what I need to do that's all that matters. So don't worry, you don't have to spend a lot of time or money buying special clothes or figuring out what to wear. Just throw something on and get to work.

Here are some other tips. Nothing new or earth shaking, just good reminders.

• Park a little further from the store and walk the extra distance
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Go to the restroom a few floors away or at the other end of the office to get the extra steps or stairs
• Keep moving around when you're on the phone instead of just sitting down. I'm often walking around and doing something while I'm on the phone. You can even do calf raises, lunges, squats, etc. if you can keep from breathing too heavily. :)
• Find things you enjoy, you're more likely to do them. It might be dancing, a sport or just particular types of exercise. Whatever it is, have fun while you work out!
• Only have a few minutes before the next thing you have to do? Take a 5-10 minute walk. Not only is it exercise, it's a good break for your mind. Relax a few minutes. 

I'm sure there are lots more tips, but I feel I have rambled long enough for today. Just remember, exercise doesn't have to fit in a nice little mold. Just get up and move! Do something and you'll feel so much better than doing nothing. Plus the more you do the more you want to do, so it's okay to start small, just start. I'd love to hear more ideas on how others keep active!

Also before I go, I saw this today which I loved because this is what we've called Thursday for years around here!