And off the couch.
The majority of adults in the US sit more than they move. I’m here to help counterbalance that and help get adults from an inactive to an active lifestyle with everyday exercises and routine examples.
The Science and Guidelines Behind Everyday Exercise
The US Department of Health and Human Services, The American Heart Association, and The American Council on Exercise all support guidelines that basically say: exercise every day. The USDH & HS go into detail on the number of hours they recommend adults should work out, the importance of being active, and the health benefits gained from these physical activities. The guidelines are a good foundation for selecting what your body may need.
Now if you don’t have an exercise routine in place, you’re probably thinking, “yeah right” about the idea of exercising every day. Now don’t come out of the gate discouraged because Studies show that it takes 66 days for a new habit to become automatic or could take as little as 21 days to start a new habit, but it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” scenario. The first thing you have to do is start. Then, from there, you can make your exercises as simple or as complex as you would like – find activities that are great exercise and motivate you to get moving. The most important thing is to find ways to stay active and exercising every day.
How do I get started with everyday exercises?
First, you must start with the basics to move towards being active.
- Ask yourself your goals. What are you trying to accomplish and why?
- Motivation. What motivates you to want to feel good and get moving?
- Reduce inactivity. The opposite of inactivity is activity, so start by moving rather than sitting.
- Choose walking. The easiest way to get you moving is to put on ANY kind of comfortable shoes and walk. Be sure to tuck your tail bone under you and keeping your core tight while walking. This will protect your lower back from getting strained. Duration, walk 30 minutes a day and gradually work up to 90 minutes. This will help build your endurance. Explore a new area or revisit some old stomping grounds to keep your walk interesting. It will be hard to find an excuse not to walk once a day and get some fresh air once you get going. This is a go-to everyday exercise that you can do anywhere.
- Jumping Jacks. This is a classic and still exists in many workout regimens like HIIT. Let’s go over the technique. Keep your arms and legs straight. Simply jump with your arms extending overhead and then down to your sides as your body contacts the ground and your feet come together. Start with 20 reps.
- Push-Ups. Another one from the books with great strengthening results. Also, this is an easy exercise to incorporate every day. Drop to the floor after getting out of bed and get them done. Now, let’s talk technique – keep your hands inline and under your shoulders (standard) or slightly wider (wide front) and lower your body 1 inch from the ground. Keep your legs straight and try to avoid dropping your knees to the ground (or drop your knees for modification.) Push your body away from the ground, straightening your arms, and contracting your chest. Start with 10 reps.
- Body Weight Squats. Keep your feet hip-distance apart, Straighten your arms out in front of you, stand tall with your shoulder blades back, and always look straight ahead. Be sure to bend your knees, push your glutes back, and keep your knees centered over the top of your foot. Find your lowest point in this position – then stand up tall, contract your glutes, and repeat! Start with 15 reps.
Don’t overthink it, just do it – everyday!
Alternate Exercise Options
Say you’ve tried doing these things on your own, but haven’t had any luck. Accountability might be just what you need instead of mustering up your own motivation to get yourself into shape and active at home. The accountability of showing up to a virtual class or a class at a gym, with a specified time, and peers that will notice you are missing, is just what you need. Now listen, you are NOT a failure if you are unable to self-motivate and work out at home. The point is both scenarios work, just be sure to ask yourself what’s best for you instead of succumbing to pity and disappointment. Be realistic with how you can incorporate exercises every day into your life.
Fitness Routines
There are several things to keep in mind when building a fitness routine – balancing the muscle groups worked and the frequency of the exercise. Plus, whatever you are doing should have some level of fun. Fitness can simply be broken down into two groups: weight training and cardio. When selecting your everyday exercises, try to keep these balanced. The body needs at least two weight training days. Types of weight training can be body pump, rock climbing, or even circuit training. On cardio days, find something like spin, Zumba, or swimming. As a professional personal trainer, I prefer to exercise up to twice a day, but I make it easy.
Frequency of Exercises
I do strength workouts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and cardio workouts on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Then I do something completely different on Sunday or rest. It’s important to have a variety of everyday exercises and keep those muscles guessing what’s coming next. The beauty of the fitness world today is there are countless exercises you can do every day and an endless number of resources to help you do them.
In Conclusion
When we live an active and healthy life, we are more likely to avoid doctor visits and live a life free of prescription medication. Our bodies are built to move, stay off the couch, and be active! Find exercises you love, some that challenge you, accountability, a simple routine with everyday exercises, and eat healthily. We work, eat, sleep, play, and relax every day, so why not include 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day to balance everything out.
Where We Come Into Play
Aspen Pro Fitness can also help you create a program that fits into your lifestyle and fitness goals to ensure you have well-balanced everyday exercises and keep you active. I work with all ages, levels, and genders. When you adopt a new habit like exercising every day it’s important that you have fun, stay motivated to keep active, and stay off the couch. You will grow in your routine, become stronger, improve your form, and have a great time! There will always be a level of resistance in your everyday exercises, but it’s the struggle that encourages the body to adapt and grow stronger.
