It's Easy To Burn Calories All Day

by David and Jill Armayor - The Cooper Fitness Center

So you've finally accepted exercise into your life. Congratulations.

Exercise is now part of your very being, and without it, you get crabby and sluggish. Therefore, you need to know how to keep up this new exercise regimen, especially when your life gets a little crazy. Even the elite athletes have a tendency to blow off their workouts around holiday season or when they are on the road. So how do they keep in shape when their lives don’t allow for a one-hour workout?

They have implemented a strategy to keep fit outside of their normal workout circumstances. First, they have thrown the “all-or-none” principle right out of the window. If they aren’t able to do their normal exercise for a day, a week, or even a month, they don’t let it discourage them from keeping a healthy, active lifestyle. Second, they manipulate existing circumstances to add in their exercise. They stay at hotels that have fitness centers and they take short walks after eating big feasts. Third, they increase the amount of physical activity that they participate in during the day. Physical activity includes everything from fidgeting at your desk to running toward the bus stop.

By increasing the amount of physical activity in your life, you will burn extra calories and you will maintain the level of fitness that you have worked so hard to achieve. Use the following as a list to guide you during the busy times of your life:

At the office:

• Stand up while you are talking on the phone
  
• Take regular breaks to stretch and take a short walk
  
• Keep a pair of walking shoes in the car and walk during lunch
  
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
  
• Park your car further away from the entrance
  
• Instead of phoning or emailing, walk over to a co-worker and talk in person
  
• Brainstorm about project ideas while taking a walk
  
• Participate in or start a recreation league at your company
  
• Get a membership at a local gym
  
• Always carry your gym bag full of workout clothes just in case you get a meeting cancellation

  At home:
  

• Take a walk after dinner with your spouse or significant other
  
• Reorganize a closet
  
• Wash the car
  
• Do gardening and yard work
  
• Listen to music while you do your chores and throw some dance moves into your cleaning regimen
  
• Cook an extravagant meal (low fat of course)
  
• Build a snowman with your kids
  
• Take your dog for a walk
  
• Do some type of task while you are watching your favorite TV program
  
• Use exercise videos at home

  On the road:
  

• Take a walk around the airport while waiting for your flight
  
• Use fitness centers and pools at hotels while traveling
  
• Take a jump rope and some exercise bands in your suitcase for a quick hotel room workout
  
• Plan your whole day out, including when you will be able to fit in some physical activity
  
• Go sightseeing on foot instead of on wheels

  On the town:
  

• Walk or ride your bike to do errands in the neighborhood
  
• Meet a friend to walk in the morning
  
• Go to a nearby park with your family to shoot some hoops
  
• Walk at your local mall
  
• Window shop after a huge dinner
  
• If you are able to walk to work, do so
  
• Walk the golf course instead of using a cart

  BONUS: A few "core body exercises" you can do basically anywhere, anytime:

  1. Knee-chest stretch (for back muscle flexibility)
  Lying on your back, pull both knees toward your chest until you feel a gentle stretch in your lower back. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, 2 times.

  2. Back-leg swing (for lower back and hip strength)
  Stand behind a chair with your hands on the back of the chair. Slowly lift one leg back and up while keeping the knee straight, your back straight, and your hips square. Return the leg to the floor slowly. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat 5 times each leg.

  3. Wall slides (for back, hip, and leg strength)
  Stand with your back against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down to a crouch position with knees bent to about 90 degrees. Count to 5, and slide back up the wall. Repeat 5 times.

  4. Chair leg raises (abdominal and hip strength)
  Sit upright in a chair with legs straight and extended. Lift one leg waist high. Slowly return your leg to the floor. For support, hold onto the arm handles. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat 5 times for each leg.

  5. Floor leg raises (back and hip strength)
  Lie on the floor on your stomach. Keep your arms down by your side. Tighten the muscles in one leg and raise it from the floor. Hold your leg up for a count of 10 seconds and return it to the floor. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat 5 times for each leg.

  Click here to go to our Calorie Calculator and see how many calories you burned today

  David & Jill Armayor have been employed at the Cooper Aerobics Center as personal trainer/ fitness specialists for the past five years. In fact, its where we met, started dating, and eventually married. Working at the Cooper Aerobics Center has not only brought the couple together, but also reinforced the importance of a healthy lifestyle in all aspects of their lives.