“A New Year, a New You!” We make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or sometimes just to get fitter. All the magazines and TV programmes are suggesting the best diet or the best exercise routine. But most of the suggestions involve either joining a Gym or being outdoors, this could be tricky if you have to stay at home for some reason. Perhaps you have limited mobility, you care for someone that needs 24 hour supervision or you work full time and have to get back after work. We’ve found some idea’s that we hope will help you.
There is an interesting article at Prevention.com which says
“Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after five months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.”
That’s what we like to hear. Better results from less work. Sounds good to us!
Here are some of their suggestions
“Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.”)
“Just before bed or while you’re giving yourself a facial at night, do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises,”
“Spend 5 to 10 minutes climbing stairs.”
“Use a ringing phone as an excuse to stretch your back. Stand with your feet astride. Imagine that you are encased in a plaster cast from your waist to your head. Gently tilt the lower part of your pelvis backward. Contract your abdominal muscles. Then gently tilt your pelvis forward.”
When watching telly “During commercials, jog in place. A 150-pound woman can burn up to 45 calories in 5 minutes”
What about those of us who have limited mobility. Have you thought about chair aerobics?
Helpguide.org says of chair aerobics,
“a series of seated repetitive movements, will raise your heart rate and help you burn calories, as will many strength training exercises when performed at a fast pace with a high number of repetitions. In fact any rapid, repetitive movements offer aerobic benefits and can also help to loosen up stiff joints.
They suggest
“Wrap a lightweight resistance band under your chair (or bed or couch, even) and perform rapid resistance exercises, such as chest presses, for a count of one second up and two seconds down. Try several different exercises to start, with 20 to 30 reps per exercise, and gradually increase the number of exercises, reps, and total workout time as your endurance improves.”
Or
“Simple air-punching, with or without hand weights, is an easy cardio exercise from a seated position, and can be fun when playing along with a Nintendo Wii or Xbox 360 video game.”
So, it is possible to exercise if you have limited time or mobility. The benefits are immense and worth the effort.
As with all new exercise routines you should always check with your doctor first. And don’t forget that whatever exercise you do a good fitting sports bra is essential. Check out our advice on how to choose a sports bra here