Fitting Physical Activity into Busy Schedules

Ashley Goudey, Nutrition, Food Safety & Health Agent        

I bet you have heard a time or two that physical activity is very important for your health.  But do you know how much exercise is needed to reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, and Stroke?  According to the United States Department of Agriculture, adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a week or at least one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week.  Children aged 6-17 should be active at least 60 minutes a day. Moderate activities include: Hiking, dancing, golfing, walking, gardening, stretching, and light bicycling.  Vigorous activities include: running/jogging, brisk walking, swimming, aerobics, heavy yard work, and basketball.  When you take time to get active, your body will thank you in many ways on top of reducing your risk of chronic disease.  Physical activity is linked to better sleep, positive personal feelings, weight loss or weight maintenance, and even reduced daily pain.  I hope you are all motivated to get active so let’s talk about how to fit this into a busy schedule!

Lack of time has been one of the main excuses we use to not exercise, this just means we have to sneak in fitness!  One trick to reaching the recommended physical activity is to get active for short periods at a time.  Activities such as walking, stretching, push-ups/sit ups can be split up throughout your day into 5 minute increments.  For busy workers, walk 5-10 minutes before and after work, 10 minutes during lunch and 5 minutes during breaks.  Before you know it, you walked 30 minutes-or more and didn’t have to pencil anything in! While at work, try standing instead of sitting at your desk all day.  Stand up to try 10 air squats or lunges a few times a day; stretch your arms, legs, back, and neck. Instead of sending an email to a coworker, walk to their desk and deliver the message personally.  Put reminders on your email or phone calendars to get up and move, sometimes we forget how long we’ve been sitting and need a break to get the blood flowing again!

After a long day at work, instead of instantly plopping down on the couch, make it a priority to get active first.  If we get in the habit of sitting down right when we get home, our motivation to get up and get moving again goes out the window. After work, I tell myself that I will go home and walk or clean the house (who knew housekeeping was physical activity!) for a set time before I can start making the evening meal.  I love to cook so this is a great motivator for me, if you love to sit down and watch your favorite tv show at 6pm, make that show a treat you can enjoy after you get active doing something that interests you.  I cannot say this enough but working out is much easier when you are doing something you enjoy!  There are even ways to squeeze in physical activity while you watch your favorite tv show.  Walking on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, stretching, or lifting free weights are all options that you can do while still enjoying your show.  It is recommended to limit your screen time to less than 2 hours a day.

Walking around the neighborhood is a simple and fun way to get your moderate exercise- and having a walking partner is even better!  You get exercise and bonding time all wrapped into one activity.  You can schedule walks with your family, which also helps keep each other accountable.  Another tip to get the family involved is to play a sport that you all enjoy. Set one day a week that works for everyone to get active together, a family that is active together is healthy together!  If your children are on sports teams, use their practices as a time for you to get active.  Get a couple parents to join as you walk around the field to watch them instead of sitting down on the bleachers. 

All of the little steps that you take towards being active during the day add up for your health and are much better choices than staying sedentary.  Overall, have fun and enjoy yourself while becoming more active!