I was walking through Chicago airport the other day when I noticed two escalators and a set of stairs in the middle. Not a single person was on the stairs.
Hundreds of people were on the escalators.
So many of us put aside working out because we don’t have the one-hour to get to the fitness facility. Travel, work or volunteer obligations get in the way, and we mark our calendars indicating the day we are going to commit to getting back in the gym.
But guess what? Your body does not care. It doesn’t care if you are finishing a project or shuttling kids. Your body’s need for movement trumps just about everything.
#cardiowhenyoucan – New Real Time Workouts That Work
Lovely, but how do we work in fitness when our lives are insane, and we have no time even to breathe?
You #cardiowhenyoucan.
The concept of #cardiowhenyoucan means you move your body when you can and where you can.
Here are ten examples of places you can fit in mini workouts and help move the needle toward better health.
- 20 squats every time you go to the bathroom. More Challenging: 20 jump squats
- When faced with a flight of stairs consider going up, then down then up again to get to your destination. More Challenging: Commit to fully sprinting up stairs in every situation.
- When watching TV – Perform three rounds of 10 push-ups/ 10 Sit ups/ ten lunges. More Challenging: Instead of push-ups do burpees. Click HERE to find out how to do a burpee.
- Cleaning the kitchen, throw two dish towels on the floor and get in a push-up position with your feet on the towels. Pull yourself around the kitchen with the towels under your feet. (Killer core and super clean floors.) More Challenging: slide the towels on the floor to create a plank ab workout. See HERE for a great example.
- Anytime you are on the phone commit to do 50 super slow squats. More Challenging: Do SUMO SQUATS with a briefcase, bag of groceries or any weight in one hand.
- Walking the dog? – Stop at every bench and do ten push ups against the bench. More Challenging: Do Five “Jump ups” onto the bench in addition to the push ups.
- Before bed, knock out 100 crunches and thirty-second side plank on either side. More Challenging: Watch THIS bed workout.
- Brushing your teeth in the morning do 20 high knees. More Challenging: do 20 high knee jumps to a squat.
- At your son’s soccer game? Jump rope for three minutes. More Challenging: Jump rope interval style – three minutes jumping, five minutes sitting. Repeat seven times
- Yard work – carry heavier loads, carry loads on one side only, (harder for your core), or carry loads overhead. More Challenging: Check out this goat workout.
[Tweet “Get that butt movin'”]
Some other short cardio workouts?
- FITNESS MARSHAL: 2-3 minute dance cardio set to excellent music.
- DR. SARA SOLOMON: Five-minute jump rope fitness routine.
- WELLFITandFED: Quick travel circuit workouts.
- SHAWN T: Five-minute workout on Dr. Oz
- FIVE MINUTE WORKOUTS FOR EVERY ROOM OF THE HOUSE: Quick home workouts by room.
I would love to see your #cardiowhenyoucan pics. Please post them on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @wellfitandfed.
How about a quick “Design Your Own Stairs Circuit Workout” sent to your inbox right now! Just drop your email below and it is all yours!
This week I challenge you to select three of these mini workout options. Incorporate them throughout your week and let me know how it goes! Let’s get moving!
