Hello all, I came across an article in Prevention online that talked about ways to get exercise in outside the gym. Thought I'd solicit for ideas...

There were the old standards, walk to the mailbox instead of getting the mail from the car, instead of yelling to someone in the other room walk over and talk to them, bring laundry or other items up stairs in small batches instead of all at once.

How about some of your ideas??

Put a set of dumbbells in the garage. Every time you walk past them, lift 5 times.

I wear a thing that counts my steps, so I'll try to add more steps or jumping jacks to up the numbers. I run up the stairs instead of walking slowly. I walk my kids to and from school (weather permitting). And so on.

This summer with landscaping, we did it ourselves. I rented a manual sod cutter, not a machine (cheaper to rent and gave me some workout). There are all kinds of things to do like that!

Wash your car yourself. Clean all the windows and mirrors, that one gets me sweating.

When watching t.v. sometimes I jump on the treadmill or march in place for the duration of the commercials.

I've stopped emailing coworkers. If I need them, I now walk to them. It seems minor, but those steps add up!

I was looking for this post the other day. I have some definite imput on this!

1. When I am sitting at a redlight, I use that time to work my stomach or my bum muscles. I tighten them when the light is red, release when it turns green. I also do this for a 15-20 count during my walk. *I'm talking super tightening not just focusing on good posture & maintaining a tight core.*
2. Focus on your posture when you walk any where! If you stand up straight & walk like you have a purpose this does 2 things: make you look taller/thinner & it burns even more calories.
3. Don't just sit & watch tv. I use that time to lift my hand weights or stretch. Doing these things while watching tv makes the time spent watching productive.
4. Take every opportunity to stretch or tone muscles. I am always doing something while taking care of other things. Like brushing my teeeth? I'm stretching my leg muscles, doing leg lifts or going up on the balls of my feet & down (repeat as often as you can during your activity).
5. Dance! Heard the phrase, dance like no one is watching? Often when I am home alone I turn on the music & just dance! I will dance while folding the laundry, doing the dishes, vaccuuming, etc. I love to dance & I don't care who knows it! Sees it? Wellllllll...

I do squats while moving the clothes from the washer into the dryer. I feel so virtuous about it I usually throw a couple extra in.

good ideas! thanks for the input
going to dance my way down to the treadmill, lol...seriously, I love to dance around the kitchen, you can do all kinds of slides on the linoleum...

I put on workout clothes to do housework and make a real workout out of it / including the aforementioned dancing, squats, and core work. The double bonus my house is cleaner because I'm trying to get in a "good" workout, so I spend more time doing things that I might skip if I am only going for the clean.

I never linger over laundry, but the dreaded floors can really work up a sweat!