“I don’t have time to exercise” - if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, well you can imagine how rich I would be. Incorporating exercise into your daily life does not have to be an onerous task. If you can not commit to going to the gym for an hour, it is still possible to fit in some movement in your day. A series of small exercises, spread out throughout the day, if necessary, can make a huge difference. Here are a series of simple exercises that require no equipment and can be done in the comfort of your own home.
TWISTS:
Twists stimulate the internal organs and help release toxins. They can be done seated or standing making this a versatile pose to incorporate into your day. Draw in your lower abdominals to support your low back, and initiate the spiral action from the base of your spine working up.
REAR LEG LIFTS:
Stand tall and hold the back of a chair to help maintain balance, if necessary. Bend forward slightly at the hips. Raise one leg to the rear with slight bend in the knee, knee turned out. Slowly lift leg in small pulses with outside of heel and little toe toward ceiling. Tilt pelvis and contract abdominal muscles to maintain neutral posture throughout the move. Keep knee of supporting leg soft; do not lock it. Complete all reps before switching legs to equal one set.
ARM CIRCLES:
Stand with arms straight out from your body. Circle your arms slowly clock-wise for 15 seconds. Relax your arms for 5 seconds. Stand with arms straight out from your body. Circle your arms slowly counter clock-wise for 15 seconds. Switch to having your arms directly in front of you and do the same routine. Repeat.
THE LUNGE:
With legs approximately shoulder-width apart, head up, and back straight, step forward, bending the knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor. Return by pushing back with your heel and alternate legs. If using dumbbells, hold at the sides in line with the spine.
WALL PUSHUPS
Stand a little more than an arm’s length away from a wall and put your hands straight out to touch the wall. Lean forward and put your weight on your arms. Bend your elbows as far as you can and then straighten again. The further apart your arms are, the easier it is. Start with your arms wider and as you build up strength bring them closer together. This will help strengthen your shoulders, upper back, biceps and triceps (See attached photo).
SQUATS:
The thigh muscles (quadriceps) are the biggest muscle group in the body so if you can only focus on one muscle group, this is the one. Having stronger quads will help boost your metabolism better than any other muscles. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Pretend you are about to sit down in a chair – but there is NO chair there. Stand up and repeat. You can do this with a wider stance or with your toes pointed outwards to change the muscles you are working.
THE PLANK:
This is simple one of the best core/ab exercises you can do. The plank looks similar to a push-up except you aren’t going up and down – just holding steady and contracting your abs and instead of being on your hands, you are resting on your elbows. See the photo below. Hold this position as long as you can. Start with 10 seconds, then 20. If you can build up to 2 minutes, you will be on your way to being “ripped”
SHADOW BOXING
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Close your hands into fists and raise them into the standard boxing position. Alternate arms punching forward. You can also do upper cuts or any other type of boxing move. Keep your core stabilized by pulling your tummy in nice and tight – imagine trying to make your belly button touch your spine. This is a great upper body workout, but it also strengthens the core.
TAKE THE STAIRS:
Any opportunity you have in a day to take the stairs, do it. Avoid elevators and escalators. If you have to go up to say, the 10th floor and can’t take the stairs the entire way, take the elevator to the 8th floor and walk the last 2 flights. If you are a student, between classes run the stairs. Use a washroom on the next floor down or up.
Registered Nutritional Counselor
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