How Do I Fit Activity into My Life? By Guest Blogger and Fitness Instructor, Diana Pineda

Have you ever said to yourself, “Today, I am going to exercise!” but then you have to prepare breakfast, take the children to school, do the laundry, pick up the kids, do homework, and cook dinner—aahh! The day goes by and you had no time to work out.

So, how in the world do people find time to do what they like?

They schedule it.

I didn’t set apart much time to exercise until I became a Zumba fitness instructor. And even then, it was easy to get lazy on the days I had no classes.

Then, I decided to make an appointment with myself.  I call it VIP-ME time. I have now, one hour per day to pamper myself—I can watch TV, talk to my mom on the phone, or take a nap.  But to tell you the truth, I’m spending that time in the little gym downstairs of my building.  I do 20 minutes of fast and slow songs to pump my heart and then, resistance training for 30 minutes and finally stretching for 10.

After finishing my routine I have more energy and less stress to do all the chores of the day. I even feel better in my clothes.

Do you still think you can’t schedule an hour for yourself? Then try to “sneak” some exercise into your day. Here are some more tips that may work for you:

•                Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk the rest of the way.

•                Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

•                Do three 10-minute walks during your day instead of one 30-minute walk.

•                Walk and talk with a friend at lunch.

•                Put more energy into housework and yard work.

•                Be active while doing other things. For example, do push-ups or march in place while watching TV. Try walking around your home while talking on a cordless telephone.

•                Find a local park or school track where you can walk or run.

•                Walk around a mall.

•                Work out with videos in your home—you can find workout videos on the Internet about every single muscle.

•                Join a recreation center or fitness center at work or near your home.

•                Walk your dog. If you do not have a dog, pretend that you do.

Whatever you do, please have fun.  Even if it’s housework, put some of your favorite music and dance and sing.  Every time I am at home, I have praise music playing to dance and sing along.

Set some goals and implement a few tips at a time.  Don’t rush it but move at your own pace.

So what about you start this week? Take out your phone or agenda and make regular appointments for your workouts, just as you would for a hair or nail appointment.

Now it’s your turn, do you have another tip? What do you do to fit activity in your daily life?

 

Diana Pineda is a fitness trainer; lifestyle coach and Zumba Fitness instructor who is passionate about helping woman reach their health goals. Visit her blog at www.LiveSuperWell.com