Summertime and warm weather are finally here. A wide variety of summer commitments can make it challenging to get into the gym for your normal 30 to 40 minutes of prescribed cardio exercise during the week.
But studies show that three moderately intense 10-minute stretches of exercise have the same health effect as 30 minutes of continuous activity. That means you can do 10 minutes of activity in the morning, afternoon and evening on the days you can’t make it to the gym and still get the same cardiovascular benefits of your traditional workout session.
Here are a few easy ways to add short bursts of exercise and increase your calorie burn throughout the day:
- Instead of sitting, stand while you talk on the phone. If you walk around while talking, you can increase your calorie burn even more.
- Park farther away. How often do you circle a parking lot trying to find a spot as close to the store as possible? Parking farther away burns a few extra calories during your daily errands.
- Walk over to a co-worker to talk instead of using the phone or email.
- Take the stairs. Walking up stairs is a surprisingly high-intensity activity that can raise your heart rate quickly. If you’re in need of some extra exercise, taking the stairs over the elevator is an excellent way to get it. Go find the stairs for some quick physical activity you wouldn’t get otherwise.
- Enjoy the weather and walk around the block when you have a short break.
- Play with kids. Kids have a ton of energy and keeping up with them can be better than doing cardio. Plus, you will be surprised at how fast the time flies by.