In the last article on Health and Fitness for Busy people, Anthony Tornambe discussed the importance of good input to get good output through healthy living. Now that you understand the basics of building energy and that health and fitness is a lifestyle choice, let us focus on exercises. I know that Exercises is the equivalent of a dirty word in many houses, but it is essential to good health. The best part of exercising is that (regardless of what some experts may claim) you can get all the "workout" you need in 15 minutes to 30 minutes a day. Here are a few exercises for the busy person.
You carry weight anyway, make it work for you
If you take a moment and think about it, you carry weights around everywhere you go. Some people more than others. Yes, I am talking about your body weight. And while most people do not give their body weight a second thought throughout the day, unless the body starts to have aches and pains, the weight of one’s body can be used to help exercise. Specifically, if you do squats. Squats are very easy to do and require minimal space. This is a great exercise for a cubicle, small office, to do beside your vehicle, or outside at a park. Here is how you do it:
• Place your feet shoulder width apart with your toes facing forward.
• Straighten your back
• Put your arms straight out in front of you bending the elbows slightly (you never want to lock your elbows or knees)
• Now sit down. If you must use a chair that is ok. Support is good for you. Those that say “you must do squats without a chair or with weights” frankly do not know what they are talking about. For one, if you do not have someone to spot you and you try to do a squat with weights you can mess up your legs and back. Secondly, if fatigue sets in, it is a lot less embarrassing to fall into a chair rather than the ground. However, if you are comfortable without a chair just pretend you are sitting in one. Focus on keeping your back straight and you’re avoiding “drifting” knees (meaning they bow out or in when you bend).
• Now stand up.
• Repeat
It is that simple. Your body weight is working as the resistance when you push up, and depending on the amount of weight that you have it may take a bit to get back up. Even if you are in shape lacking an abundance of body fat, you will quickly note that squats become harder and harder to do. I recommend sets of 10 to 20. Don’t overdo it. You are working out your legs and will want to be able to walk tomorrow. Anthony Tornambe
The weighted gloves trick
One of the problems with being a busy person is that you do not have the time to allocate to doing a workout. In many cases hours of the day are consumed with work. And when the day is over, who really wants to drag out weights and do a complex workout routine? Well, here is a little trick for doing an arm workout. Buy a set of weighted gloves (you can generally find them at your nearest mega super store in the sporting section for about $20-$30). Sometime during the day slip on your weighted gloves and do arm curls. Again, it does not matter that you do not have dumbbells, the repetition of the sets as well as the weight of the gloves (typically 5 to 10 lbs.) will be enough to do the job. Just ensure that you work out evenly. Do not put the weight on one hand and neglect the other. Anthony Tornambe
Getting where you want to go
Perhaps this is a bit cliche, but it should be stated. If you want to get some exercise in and you just don’t want to be “that guy or gal” at the office doing exercises in the cubicle, then find another means of doing your exercise. One of the best ways to do so is biking to work, walking to work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, avoiding the escalator, and walking the parking lot or walking track (if your company has a walking track) during your break. Of course, if you have concerns about your health or which exercises you should perform, you should consult your doctor prior to engaging in such activities.
The bottom line is this. If you want to exercise, you can get creative and find a way to exercise. All you really need is weight (whether that is a water bottle, beanbag, a ream of paper, or just your own body weight), 15 minutes to perform repetitions of a movement focusing on the form, and dedication to actually do the exercises 3 times a week. - Anthony Tornambe
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