Well-being with Meaning: Incorporating Exercise into Your Busy Day

“…But I’m taking five classes, working two jobs this semester and I’ve got to wash my dishes!”

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can seem intimidating or even just too time consuming.  But taking care of your body and mind should be just as important as  kicking back to have a glass of wine at the end of your day.  Plus, involving just a bit more physical activity can go a long way when it comes to handling stress or juggling all of your responsibilities.  Stop with the excuses!  You can always make time to be active.  Remember, your well-being comes first.

Here are five simple ways to integrate a bit more activity into your busy day without going to the gym:

Ditch the ride. If you live close enough to class or work, leave enough time in the morning so you can walk to your destination.  This walk will wake you up and prepare you for your busy day.  Plus, it will provide some time for you to think.  Listen to the world, recite a positive mantra, breath deeply.   If you don’t live close enough to walk, then park further away so you are forced to walk a bit more.  Pick up the pace, turn it into a brisk walk.  Get that body moving and your heart rate up!

Step it up! Take the stairs rather than the elevator.  Even better, run up the stairs or skip a step and tackle every other stair.  This will get your heart beat going.  Even if it is just for a couple of seconds; remember, every second counts.

Take a break. During your breaks from work, class or study sessions, take a short walk.  Forget the cigarette and do something productive like walking around the building or up a staircase.  This will re-focus the mind so you are ready to get back to work.

But I have this entire house to clean! Try integrating some exercises into your daily chores.  Stop taking yourself too seriously!  Put some music on while you sweep or vacuum and dance around the house.  Take short breaks between dishes and do some jumping jacks.   Try doing sits up while you wait for the water to boil and do some squats while you stir that pasta.

Being active while sitting. Try some isometric exercises while you sit at your desk or  wait on line for another coffee.  Isometric workouts help tone certain muscle groups.  All you have to do is tighten an area of the body (butt, legs, stomach, etc) for ten to thirty seconds and then release.  Remember, KEEP BREATHING!  Holding your breath is harmful for proper circulation.

For all you SUNY New Paltz students out there looking for fun ways to up your activity, below I’ve attached some really great activities provided by our very own Athletic and Wellness Center.  Get together with some friends and try out some of the Group Fitness Classes that the gym offers.  Also, throughout the  semester the gym offers cheap, outdoor pursuits, including horse back riding, rock climbing and flying trapeze trips.  It’s a great way to get active and meet new people.

P.S.  I teach the Boot Camp class on Fridays at 3:30!  Since it’s the beginning of the semester and we’ve all been relaxing on the beach all summer, the class starts off with a moderate exercise routine so we can make a slow progression to a higher intensity workout as the semester continues .  Please come, it’s a lot of fun and it’s always nice to see new faces.

Athletic and Wellness Group Fitness Classes

Athletic and Wellness Outdoor Pursuits

Cat Juliano

Next Post

A Talk With Blues Traveler

Thu Sep 16 , 2010
On Saturday, September 4, the first annual Hudson Valley Green Festival closed with an energetic performance by nationally acclaimed band Blues Traveler. The band is […]

You May Like

TWITTER

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.