The simple truth: if you do not use your body parts, you will lose your body parts! They will literally shrivel before your very eyes. Instead of having contours to your arms, legs, neck, back and abs, you will have an endless rounding. Unlike a nice paint job, your body looks better and better with increased use.
I have put together a short list of activities you can do daily that will not require a great deal of dedication but will get you started in the right direction.
- Before sitting down to eat breakfast, sit down and stand up 20 times.
- Every hour stand up and then bend over and touch your toes 10 times.
- While sitting at your desk perform calf raises. Lift up on to your toes 20 times at 3 different times during your work day.
- While sitting in your chair ,make sure you are maintaining proper posture.
- At each restroom break during the day perform 20 punches with each arm in the mirror. Sugar Ray Leonard style…
- At lunch time, before eating, go for a brisk 15 minute walk.
- At your mid afternoon break, perform 20 squats or sit down and stand up 20 times.
- When talking on your cell phone or wireless phone get up and walk around for the duration of the phone call.
- Do a set of 10-20 standing pushups against the wall at morning and afternoon break.
- Wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps daily.
- Take every available opportunity to walk up stairs and across the room
- Before cooking dinner perform 25-50 jumping jacks.
- After eating dinner take a 10 minute walk, if it is too cold or dark out just take a few laps around your home.
- Stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. Seriously!
- When cleaning the kitchen or home, time yourself! Wow, a new in house record, congratulations!!!
- During the mid afternoon or before bed, go through a quick stretching routine
- Interlock fingers and push arms over head to the ceiling, hold for 5 seconds, relax and then repeat 3 times
- Spread legs just beyond shoulder width apart, allowing knees to be slightly bent, stretch arms out in front of you as you bend at hips, keeping back flat the whole time. Hold for 8 seconds and then relax, perform 3 times.
- Stand in door way and place elbows and hands against each side of door way, with elbows even with shoulder or just above and feet in line with front of door way. Lean body weight into door opening. You should feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 5-10 seconds and relax. Repeat 4 times.
Come on, just give a few of them a try. The worst that could happen is that you feel better (that doesn’t sound too horrific). These little activities will keep the blood flowing and get you on your way to a full blown exercise routine in no time!
