You might not think there’s time to fit physical activity into your busy schedule, but you can keep up with everything you have going on and still make time for fitness. In fact, doing so will boost your energy and mood! Here are some easy-and fun-tips.
There are lots of creative ways to incorporate exercise into activities you already do. Think about all the time you spend with your body pretty much idle: while watching TV, waiting for your oatmeal to cook, or catching up on Facebook.
“You don’t need to hit the gym or spend money on free weights [and] special equipment to get healthy and fit,” says Dr. Jennifer Brunet, a human kinetics professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. “It’s actually healthier to just get up and move as much as possible, instead of going to the gym for an hour and then sitting [the rest of the] day.”
So, here are some ideas for multitasking:
While Cooking
Obviously you don’t want to leave the stove unattended or dance with a knife in your hand, but you can still use time in the kitchen to your body’s advantage, and not just by preparing healthy meals. Here are some scenarios:
Activity: Watching the microwave plate spin.
Exercise: As the time counts down, spend 10 seconds performing different cardio exercises. Jumping jacks, butt kicks, and running in place are great options.
Activity: Boiling water.
Exercise: Grab some canned food to use as barbells. Or place your fingertips on the counter and do ankle raises, engaging your calf, abdominal, and gluteal muscles.
Activity: Stirring pasta and sauce.
Exercise: Turn up your favourite song and use the spoon as your microphone. Dance like it’s your job.
Activity: Steaming vegetables.
Exercise: Perform squats and lunges, checking the veggies every minute or so.
Ben suggests some ways to add exercise into any day. (MP4, 02:34)
Vegging Out
Instead of just lounging on the couch, watch TV with an exercise twist. This is especially fun with friends. The point is to find a way to make moving a game, using some element of what you’re watching. For example, you can pick a word and do a specific exercise every time a character says that word, and choose a few so that more people are moving at the same time. As Emily M., a third-year student at Carleton University in Ottawa, says, “You’ll probably end up laughing, which is also a good activity!”
Activity: Watching a romantic comedy.
Exercise: Every time characters kiss, do 10 jumping jacks.
Activity: Watching an action film or your favourite sport.
Exercise: Each time someone is running or doing something daring, do high-knees.
Activity: Catching up on sitcoms.
Exercise: See who can do the most crunches or push-ups during commercial breaks.
Sara L., also a third-year student at Carleton University, shares, “Sometimes I’ll [fit in exercise by] clean[ing] my apartment while watching TV. It just feels better than sitting around.”
Many game consoles offer fitness programs and exercise games. Your school may have machines you can borrow through the student activities or residential life office, or the fitness centre might have one or two.
Don’t forget fitness DVDs, finding workouts online, or getting a group of friends together for a dance party!
Izabela demonstrates arm exercises to do anytime. (MP4, 02:23)
No weights? No problem. According to Dr. Brunet, your body weight is a great tool in and of itself.
Body-weight Exercise
Lunges, squats, and push-ups are easy to do anywhere and can be done while you listen to music or take a break from studying. “When your muscles get used to the exercise, you can kick it up a notch by increasing the number of repetitions,” says Dr. Brunet.
Kim H., a first-year student at Concordia University College of Alberta in Edmonton, performs a few go-to exercises at home. She does wall sits and uses textbooks as weights for bicep curls.
Allysha W., a third-year student at the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto, Ontario, is a self-described health enthusiast who likes squats, wall push-ups and calf raises. Nicola M., a third-year student at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, makes time for stretching during study sessions. She says, “When I’m writing essays I’ll take a break and do basic yoga poses. It keeps my mind fresh.”
Another idea is a variation of CrossFit™, a popular, high-intensity training program where participants do as many repetitions as they can of an exercise, in a short time period. You can make your own version to do at home. Try setting up a stopwatch and do squats or lunges until it hits 20 seconds. Take a rest until it hits 30 seconds and then keep on repeating.
Supplies at Your Fingertips
Whitney M., a third-year student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, says, “Sometimes you can find things around your home that work just as well.” There are lots of household items that make great exercise props. Here are some ideas:
As Dr. Brunet says, “As long as you get up and move, you will reap the benefits [you would with] structured exercise.” Making physical activity a fun part of your everyday routine will make it easier to reach your fitness goals.
JESSICA WONG is a third-year Journalism student at Carleton University.
To add more physical activity to your day, modify your usual routine just a bit.
In a recent Student Health 101 survey, almost 40 percent of respondents said they use time between classes to run stairs, speed walk, or do other activities using their surroundings.
Shamit T., a third-year student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, says, “A pedometer is helpful because it helps you track your daily activity.”
Here are more ideas:
