Fitness is a Lifestyle

Welcome to afitnewyou!  Today I would like to offer you some suggestions on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the year.  By incorporating exercise into your everyday life you will embark not just on an exercise routine, but on living a healthy lifestyle.  Even the most avid exercise buffs will spend only a small portion of their time in a gym.  It is more important to find ways to exercise in our everyday lives in order to maintain our health and fitness.

In the gym, I choose exercises for my clients that are considered functional.    Most people I train aren’t professional athletes or body builders; they’re average Joes and Janes looking for a better quality of life.  And although what I have them do in the gym is functional, like those hardcore fitness buffs, I see them only for a small portion of their week.  So here are some ways to maintain a fit lifestyle on your own time.

Movement is the key to maintaining your health.  Movement is essential for most exercise, as well as the key to alleviating pain from conditions such as arthritis.  So, find the time to move.  If you’re sitting on the couch watching television, use the commercial breaks to exercise or stretch.  Most commercials are 30 seconds in length.  This coincidentally and conveniently is often the exercise duration time used in H.I.I.T. exercises.  When a commercial comes on, hop off the couch and do as many squats as you can until that commercial is over.  When the next one comes on, do crunches, push ups, stationary lunges or any other exercise for that time.  Heck, you can even hold a stretch for the 30 seconds to increase your flexibility.  Then, when your show comes on, sit back down and rest.  It’s not as good as going out for a 30 minute run, but it’s much better than sitting like a bump on the log.

If youre in a building that has more than one floor, find the stairs.  Skip the elevator and escalators.  Even if you work on the 50^th floor of a high rise, get off on the 49^th or 48^th floor on your way up and climb the stairs for those remaining floors.  And anytime you use the stairs, see if you can double-step, skipping steps as you go up, to make it a little more intense.

Going shopping?  Find a spot in the parking lot further away than you normally would.  Not only will your car be safer from dings and dents, but youll be able to get a few more steps into and out of the store.  Plus, when you come out with your packages, you can either hold the bags in a static curled position, or do some arm curls with them as you return to your car.

And you can even find some seasonal “exercises”.  In the fall, rake the leaves instead of using the leaf blower.  Raking leaves is a great cardiovascular activity and exercise for your upper body and core muscles as well.  In the winter, shovel snow.  Just make sure to use good form by bending your knees, and not trying to lift too much snow at once.  In the spring, after some rain, put some boots on and go for a walk, making sure to jump in some puddles along the way.  Not only will the hopping but some healthy stress on your lower joints, but it will put a healthy smile on your face.  In the summer, use a push mower to mow the lawn.  Pacing pack and forth in the yard will allow the miles to accumulate quickly, especially in the fresh air.

Being fit and healthy should be a lifestyle.  You don’t have to do a killer workout every waking hour.  But, the more regular you can make physical activity, the healthier and fitter you will become.  Once you incorporate the small activities into your daily routines, they will become easier and easier to maintain.  Living a healthy lifestyle 365 days a year is the best way to be a fit new you!