One of the things many of us struggle with is finding enough time to exercise. The whole idea of finding an hour three times a week can be daunting, and then adding in driving time for the gym may find you ready to throw in the towel.
Don’t give up!
Instead, consider “exercise breaks,” along with your regular Pilates class. Research shows little spurts can be just as beneficial as longer stretches of working out.
Exercise breaks do three things:
Boost Productivity: Micro workouts help you get the most out of your day by boosting productivity. There’s no doubt exercise kicks up your energy – and attention. I finally talked one of my clients into doing squats during her long zoom meetings and now she’s hooked. She told me once she got consistent, it made a huge difference in stiffness in her back. By turning off her screen for a few minutes, she boosts her energy and stays fully engaged.
Amp Up Metabolism: Exercise kicks up your metabolism so your time sitting is put to good use. Use your weights for your five-minute exercise break and you’ll be hungrier at lunch. This signals your metabolism is revved and you’re burning more kcals. Instead of calories accumulating as you sit for long stretches, you’re working them off and giving yourself more energy to burn.
Keeps Your Spine Healthy: The latest spinal research shows for every 55 minutes of sitting you need to move around for 5 minutes to keep your back healthy. Go grab your exercise ball and do extended birddog for a quick spinal re-set (see pic.).Think about it: If you work an 8-hour day, 5 minutes of small sessions during your day is 40 minutes of exercise. Go for a brisk 20-minute walk (lunchtime, maybe?) and you’ve strengthened your spine and gotten in a full hour of working out.
Staying flexible in finding ways to stay on track makes you more productive at work – and after hours. There’s no need to give up your fitness goals, break them down and remember, you got this!
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