≈≈ Fitting Exercise Into Your Day Without Using Any Time ≈≈

≡ Nine Simple Things That Help ≡

**First, and most importantly, I’m not a doc, so if you’re thinking of getting into exercise talk to your doc before you do. You can send them the link so they can see what the routine is. They may want you to get checked out first. OK, disclaimer done, now it’s on your back 😊

So, I’m one of those older Northeast people that hasn’t migrated south for the winter. There’s a myriad of reasons. Our kids are here, grandkids as well. We’re comfortable in our home and happy here. We love the seasons and, not least of all, I have a wife and a watch and they both work. She works here, so here’s where we live.

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We have relatives and friends that are full-time South as well as those that are snowbird Floridians. They laugh at us in the winter, some pretty funny memes and comments. In the summer we ask if they’re enjoying the heat and humidity, both reported in one number, regularly in the upper 90’s. That said, seasons aside, this is for those folks that find it’s not easy getting in the exercise we should be getting. The discipline to walk is harder when it’s 10◦ or 90◦. OK, the discipline is hard at 72◦ and sunny, with a cool northernly breeze.

The thing is that, in whichever climate you live in, the purpose of exercise is to live better, ok and longer, and it seems being long term healthy pretty much depends on the same basic things. Absent uncontrollable diseases and illnesses, they’re genes, (although not as much you’d think), eating right, living a fulfilling life and, of course, the dreaded exercise, all totally influenced by your allocation of plain old simple luck. In short, sh_t may happen, but you can still control what you can control.

So, exercise. I checked, and it seems to be the opinion of an overwhelming number of “the best” medical and mental health experts, as well as my good friend AI, that exercise is important. I exercise because I tend to follow the “when two people tell you you’re drunk, you lie down” rule, and, as they say, “it couldn’t hurt”.

My exercise goal is to fit what I need to do into my day, with as little disturbance to my time as possible. My focus is balance, upper body, leg and core strength, cardio, and flexibility.

To get started on the cardio I asked an app on my phone how many steps a day I should do. It said 6,000. Now I’m committed, one does NOT want to get an app angry, they talk amongst themselves and before you know it all the apps have a vendetta against you and you can’t even make a call.

So I park on the far side of the lot from the store I’m going to, in an apartment or office building I use the steps not the elevator, up and down, (at least three floors of it, I’m trying to get steps in, not set records). In my house I’ll go up and down the stairs just because. Again, you do not want to piss off the app.

Anyway, here’s the Nine – None require equipment, but TBH, I do a small amount of lifting. I have a bench and weights that cost a bit over 100 bucks, so no big deal if you want, but that takes specific time… 😉

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First, upfront, like everything, if you want things to make a difference it has to be meaningful to you. This doesn’t take much of a commitment, but there is some, so before you set yourself up to be disappointed, make the commitment. It’s seriously no big deal.

·       Start by counting your steps. Download whatever app you want. Set a goal, the app will help with that. Make the number real and realistic, meaningful and achievable. The idea is to be successful, not stressed out. You can increase your steps as you go. If I’m 400 steps from a goal, I’ll walk around the house until I get to the number. On the phone? Don’t sit on your butt and talk, walk with it. If you have stairs, walk them. It all adds up.

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Hanging out exercises. 

·       Watching T.V? Standing in line at the store? Do balance exercises. Stand on one leg, move it side to side, back to front, then switch to the other leg. Time well spent. You're not doing anything anyway. How many times? Depends on how long the line is and how many stores you go to. In my house?  Randomly. Again, watching T.V., waiting for the spin cycle to be over or the dryer to be done, stuff like that. Time I’d otherwise spend staring at my device which does nothing but frazzle my brain. 

·       Neck exercise. You know how as you get older seeing the cars coming from each side of the road is harder? That’s because you can’t turn your head far enough to see them. Watching TV? In that line? Turn your head and look back over each shoulder a few times. Not until it hurts, but feel the stretch, not only in your neck, but in the back of your shoulders. You still won’t be able to see the cars coming, those days are over, but you’ll feel better. Try bending your neck from shoulder to shoulder as well. 

·       Touching your toes. OK, as far down as you can get, bend your knees if you want to say you made it. Great stretch, lower back and thighs are where I feel it. Don’t worry about the people watching you, if you’re their entertainment for the day, feel good you’re doing that. This is a T.V. one also. 

·       Walk with your head up. If you’re in a city glance down occasionally so you don’t step in anything unpleasant, but look straight ahead when you walk. You’ll feel the change in your posture, you’ll feel your back and shoulder muscles stretching, feels really good. This is an “always do it” one, line or no line. Try to think about it, as most of us walk slouched, like they’re looking for loose coins on the sidewalk. 

·       Pushups. Not the real ones where you lie on the floor, but the ones where you put your hands against the wall, feet a comfortable, secure distance back, and push. Simple, convenient, strengthens your upper body (chest, shoulders, triceps) and core, improves posture. Taking a break from working? Spend 2 -3 minutes of it doing these. 

·       Bedtime. You do have to take the covers off. While I’m reading before bed, I do a number of “isometric like” exercises.   

-  Legs straight, I point my ankles out and then pull them back for a second or 2 until I feel a stretch in my calf. Pick a number of reps, as always start low and build it up.

-  Then, also with my legs straight, I bend my ankles out to the side, feeling stretches in my calf and thighs. Did I mention I’m still reading my book.

-  Now on to stomach “crunches”. I lift my legs about 4 -5” off the bed using my stomach muscles to do it. Again, the number is up to you, build slowly, don’t hurt yourself. After it feels good to arch your back a number of times. And to still be reading your book.

·       This all does a lot for your mental health as well, but that’s a whole other topic for another time.

So there you are, all those exercises done, all in the course of your day, no time wasted!

Thoughts welcome at thoughts@amtify.com.

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