Do you dread the idea of working out, building up a sweat, aching and being stiff the next day? Do you think you haven’t got time to work out because you’re juggling children and a job and housework and a partner and hobbies? Do you say to yourself that you’ll never keep up with a fitness regime, or perhaps you think you can’t afford a gym membership?
The easiest way to smash all those negative thoughts and banish the blues when it comes to exercising is to break it down into smaller chinks, more bite size pieces if you will. Ten minute increments is manageable for the busiest of folk, and also has the advantage of making it less likely you’ll fail. Ten minutes exercise can be achieved whilst cooking dinner! Also, you will be more inclined to stick with it as there’s less chance of failure, because it isn’t a long tedious workout.
You can work out around the house, using kitchen worktops for arm strengthening exercises, couches for hooking your feet under whilst doing sit ups, and butt clenches at the dinner table. You can wear leg weights and do leg raises watching TV. You can work out with your kids, take a football or Frisbee and run around. Your kids will love it, and it will also give you some quality time with them. Talking the stairs at work helps, butt clenches too at your desk, walking somewhere at lunch for example, running errands yourself if you have the time.
Strength training like weights build muscle and strengthens bones, helping your balance too. Flexibility exercise like yoga prevent injury, improves your range of motion, reduces stiffness and limits soreness and pains. Aerobic activities such as running and cycling strengthen your heart and increase endurance.
The thing is, it’s not difficult to start exercising. Keeping it small means that you can simply slot it in alongside something else you need to do in your day, and there’s less chance of you putting it off because after all it is only ten minutes out of your day and the results are definitely worth it.