Welcome to Part 2 Of No Time to Work Out!
Sneak in Exercise!
What did you think of the most recent article? I Agree You Have No Time to Work Out! I offered some really valuable tips on how my clients are overcoming this obstacle! If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do! This week’s tips will nicely complement last article’s suggested strategies.
Today I show you ways to maximize every day activities you are already performing; and I show you how to use them toward your weight loss/management goals.
1) You may be more active than you realize! List the physical lifestyle activities you are already doing. These are either recreational or task oriented. Examples of lifestyle activities are gardening, walking the kids to school, raking leaves, housecleaning, taking the stairs at work, etc.
- To get a “real life” picture, keep a 1-2 week journal. How much time does each take? Be sure to include that for each entry.
2) Give yourself a high five for what you are already doing! Total up the number of minutes from your list. The standard recommendation for improving fitness levels is 210 minutes per week. However, depending on type of exercise and the individual, closer to 300 minutes may be needed for weight loss (per The Mayo Clinic). [minor edit only]
For example, if you are walking your kids to school for a total of twenty minutes daily (20 x 5 = 100), subtract 100 minutes from 210. This leaves us with only 110 minutes of activity to fit in during the busy work week! Divide that by six days and you are looking at a goal of one 20 minute exercise session six days per week. If 300 minutes is your goal then you are looking at 33 minutes per day.
What do you think? Doesn’t that sound do-able? Did your “overwhelm” just disappear? You can start small and build up. Start with two sessions per week and work your way up. Even if you have to start with 10 minutes, you will be surprised at how quickly your momentum will build and how much better you will feel.
3) Wow! An hour of grocery shopping burns 156 calories! Did you know that? You may as well burn those calories while reaching for healthy foods. Choose items you can assemble quickly to avoid eating out on busy days. That way you’ll avoid the hidden calories in restaurant food. Try buying roasted chickens, pre-washed lettuce, pre-cooked rice and frozen organic vegetables. Not only will you be cutting calories, but you’ll also save tons of cooking or traveling time! (More time for exercise!)
4) Track your progress and create a caloric deficit! Wear a pedometer or calorie counter that tracks daily activity for feedback and encouragement. You can also track calories consumed versus calories burned to see if you are creating a deficit. Data is empowering!
This will help you determine how much additional activity and or minutes you will need to add to start losing weight and/or maintain your current weight.
One of my clients gave a pedometer to her sedentary mother. Her mother was motivated by the goal of visiting her grandchildren. She determined the number of steps she wanted to take per day and lost 50 lbs! It can be done!
I hope these creative ideas help you tie your “every day” lifestyle into your weight loss or weight management program. It takes time and effort when we are fitting a proper weight loss regimen into a busy schedule. That’s why I will not make irresponsible claims like so many fitness ads you see in the media. However, I will tell you that when you begin to apply these principles you can and you will lose weight.
I’d love to hear from you. Did your activity inventory surprise you? How many active minutes did you discover in your day? As always, please feel free to let me know if there is anything I can help you with.
Blessings to you and yours!
Jennifer