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Is your go-to excuse for not working out, “I don't belong to a gym?” Well, that statement is exactly that – an excuse. I know, because I used to rationalize my inactivity the same way: “I don’t belong to a gym, so I have to wait to get fit. I don’t know if I want to make that commitment of time and money.” The thing is, although they certainly can be convenient, you don't need a gym to get (or stay) fit. There are plenty of other ways to get your heart rate up and gain muscle strength.
It’s easy enough to take the experts’ advice about fitting fitness into our daily lives (like taking the stairs instead of escalators, parking at the back of parking lots, etc). We hear that stuff over and over. Those things are good to do, because every little bit does add up – but if you’re not going to a gym, you’ll probably need to make more effort than that. The good news is that there are a lot of ways to get moving!
How do I fit fitness into my day? For one thing, I try to walk as much as possible. I live in a walkable neighborhood, so when friends come to visit and we want something to eat, I suggest we go out on foot. I also walk from my apartment to the metro every day – at a brisk pace, I can get there in about 13 minutes. Just by walking in the morning and early evening, plus going to-and-from the metro stop in DC to the building where I work, I’ve already completed half an hour of activity before doing any other exercise. (And what do I do while I'm on the metro? That's #3 in my seven fitness-related facts about me. Like I said, every little bit helps.)
I don’t own any workout DVDs, but there are plenty of people who swear by them. And if you don’t want to buy, you can get them for free from libraries, or even from subscription-DVD services like Netflix and Blockbuster.
What kinds of things could I do better? I could definitely do more when I’m at the office all day. I’m guilty of getting absorbed in what I’m doing and sitting at my desk for hours at a time. I could be like those people who set a timer to go off every half hour to remind them to get up and walk around for a few minutes.
I wish I had the option to walk up and down the stairs when I want to get my heart rate up at work -- that's something I used to do all the time at other jobs – but in my current workplace the only option is to take the elevator (the doors to the stairs lock). I was reminded of this when Amy wrote about having the same predicament:
This weekend, HS and I were talking about how both our workplaces forbid us from using the stairs. Elevators are the only option. I don't understand why this is – allegedly it's for security but that doesn't logically add up. Once you get through the front door, you have access to the whole building, it's not a floor-by-floor basis.
I don't think this policy was designed to thwart my fitness efforts, but it seems like employers are reluctant to do easy things which would promote better health and fitness among their employees.
However, if you can’t take the stairs, it’s not the end of the world. Fit Sugar has a great list of everyday things that can be done to burn more calories. Here’s something easy you can do while stuck at a desk:
While seated, perform some isometric exercise to help strengthen and tighten your muscles. For example, while in a seated position, simply contract the abdominals for 30 seconds while breathing naturally. You can also tighten and contract your legs for 60 seconds. Perform about three sets per area. You’ll feel your muscles get tighter in just three weeks if you perform this a few times per week.
Roni has 10 tips for staying active outside of a gym. Among tips like using an exercise ball, dancing while cleaning, and using a hand-held basket instead of a shopping cart at the grocery store, I particularly liked this one:
Five Story Rule – I can’t remember if
