There are a ton of potential opportunities to sneak in some light cardio outside of the gym by increasing your activity level throughout the day. Most of the time people isolate their cardio sessions to maybe a 30 minute period at the end of their workouts – so what does that mean for the other 23 hours and 30 minutes that they’re not training in the gym?
By being more active throughout the whole day you can improve your cardiovascular fitness as well as burning a few extra calories and getting things done more quickly! Here are 6 simple ways for you to be more active in your daily life.
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1. Always take the Stairs
There’s a reason you’ll see a stair climbing machine in most gyms, going up stairs is a great workout! Leave the escalators and elevators to the people who genuinely need them and put those legs to work. Tackle them two at a time for an added challenge and to work a wider range of muscles.
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2. Park further away and walk
Generally, parking further away means you get a better parking space and less chance of someone opening their car door into the side of your car. You also get to burn a few extra calories walking back and forth to your car!
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3. Walk most of your short journeys
If you’re going somewhere less than a couple of miles from where you live and you’re not pressed for time, walk or cycle instead of taking the car. Walking is a great form of low impact cardio which can be surprisingly tiring if you go at a fast pace and have to go uphill! As an added bonus, taking a stroll is a great opportunity to clear your mind and de-stress.
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4. Avoid sitting down when possible
In our modern society we all spend far too much time sat on our butts! Standing burns more calories than sitting or lying down and requires the activation of a whole host of muscles. Practice good posture by keeping your core muscles tight, head up and shoulders back with your weight evenly distributed over both feet.
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5. Walk quickly, your time is important
You are important and your time is precious, gain more time to do what you need to do by walking quickly. Fast walking not only saves you time but of course burns more calories and gets your heart pumping! Stay active and move faster.
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6. Do the chores and do them fast!
Nobody wants to live in a pig sty! I’m a strong believer in the saying, “A clean room is a clear mind”. Doing jobs around the house can take a surprising amount of effort, especially garden tasks such as mowing the lawn. Work yourself hard when you clean and tidy, walk fast and work quick and you’ll save yourself time as well as working up a sweat!