5 Ways Women Can Make Fitness Easy

*This is a guest post by Amy S. Cook. If you are interested in guest posting on this blog, please check out the guidelines here.

Some women find it a breeze to stay slim, but for others, it’s an uphill climb that’s never easy. The former see no need to exercise, but the latter know that if they don’t exercise, they’re going to push the needle on their bathroom scales to the max. While you would think that the first group has it made, it’s the second that’s the luckier of the two because with all the regular exercise, they’re the fitter set of women. Working out is not just about losing weight; it’s about getting fit too. When you exercise regularly, you boost your stamina, you enhance your overall fitness, and you lose weight. So no matter what your weight, it’s important that you take the time to exercise because fitness and health count. If you’re looking for easy ways to get fit, read on.

• Multitask: I’ve always complained about never finding time for fitness. But that was before I realized that I could squeeze my workout into my daily routine. In general, I use the time I spend waiting for food to cook to do a few sets of squats. I use ten minutes of my half hour lunch break to do a couple of sets of lunges while watching a bit of television. And I use five minutes before my evening tea break to work out with my dumbbells even as I make small talk with my spouse and wait for the kids to get home. This way, I pack 30 minutes of exercise into a day by distributing them into smaller time slots throughout the day.
• Get busy around the home: I take a couple of days off work every week to catch up on household chores and social engagements. That is when I get down and dirty around the house – I go all out with my vacuum, I spend time on my tiny garden, and I scrub the kitchen and bathrooms till they sparkle. They’re not exactly exercises, but they’re activities that keep me on the move and boost my metabolism.
• Dance or play a sport: One of my favorite things to do is dance – now I’m nowhere near auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance but I love to turn on the music and move to the beat when alone or with close friends. I find that dancing is a great way to relieve stress, get fit, and lose weight. It’s a workout that doesn’t feel like a workout. A few friends tell me that playing a sport is similar to dancing – you enjoy yourself so much that you don’t feel like you’re working out.
• Train in intervals: One of the best investments I’ve made is my exercise bike – it takes up a tiny corner of our home, but it gives me the greatest benefits. Now I don’t have time to pedal for an hour, so I took to interval training on the advice of a friend. Interval training basically involves cycling at a high intensity and speed for a minute, then resting for 30 seconds, and cycling at top speed again. You repeat this cycle till you’re too tired to continue. It leaves you sweating and feeling as if you’ve cycled for more than an hour. Interval training can be done with any cardio exercise – swimming, jogging and cycling are your best options. It keeps you fit, boosts your stamina, and helps you lose weight.
• Play with your kids: If you have kids, get involved in their games. Pillow fights, backyard tussles, a game of catch – they all count towards improving your fitness. If you don’t have children, playing with your dog or going on a long walk with your pet is a great way to boost your fitness and relieve stress.

*This guest post is contributed by Amy S. Cook, who writes on the topic of LVN to RN . Amy welcomes your comments at her email id: amy11s.cook@gmail.com .

Thank you so much for your contribution Amy!

-Melinda