When you embrace exercise, it will give you a natural glow and make you feel good in many ways. Below, I share my tips on how to get started, how to keep going and ways to avoid that crash and burn.
For those short of time in their routine there’s always a way to add extra steps or movement but you have to be clever, consistent and disciplined about it. How about
- Parking further away will get in those extra steps
- Getting off the train/tube/bus a stop earlier so that you walk further
- Rather than a sat down coffee catch up, grab a takeaway cup and walk as you talk
Enjoy ‘exercise snacks’ – little bursts of activity in between daily tasks: they all add up and they all count!
Here are a few times in the day where you can add some movement to change up your existing habits during breaks: especially good for the ‘working from home crew’.
- Each time you put the kettle on
- Every time you have a bathroom break
- After lunch
Why not try some of my favourite exercises for those days when you can’t get out, or instead of a walk (see images below)
- Squats
- Walking lunges
- Sprint intervals up the stairs
- Active planks
- Press ups
Every 5-minute body confidence booster movement you do adds up and before you know it these could end up being 30-45 minutes of mindful movement instead of sitting and scrolling…
My daily confidence booster to raise your heart rate, energy levels and spirits
This is a little circuit that you can do as many times as you like. Strength and cardio intervals are very efficient, energising, mind-boosting and they give your skin a glow. They make me smile too! They can be done at home, on holiday, anywhere! (see images below).
- If you don’t have weights, use tins, cans or bottles of water and for weighted squats you can load up a rucksack with books.
- If you don’t have stairs, run or walk on the spot for a count of 10-20 – bringing your knees up high in front of you.
10 Squats
Run upstairs and 10 squats
Walk downstairs
10 Reverse lunges Right
Run upstairs and 10 reverse lunges Left
Walk downstairs
10 Overhead push press
Run upstairs and 10 Overhead push press
Walk downstairs
10 Deadbugs with weight
Run upstairs and Plank hold 1 minute
Walk downstairs
