Has this happened to you recently: You look at your calendar, and have absolutely no idea where to put your well-intentioned healthy habits. Like many baby boomers and older adults, you’re just ready to throw up your arms and surrender!
- Thirty minutes of cardio most days of the week? Not in your crowded schedule.
- Two days of strength building? Forget the gym, you can’t even fit in a home work-out.
- Seven to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables per day? Maybe three or four, but doubling or tripling that amount is simply inconceivable.
How’s a person expected to fit in healthy behaviors these days?
The answer may not always be on your daily planner, or in your weekly menus. You may just have to be on the lookout for ways to “sneak” these lifestyle changes into your day. This strategy is something I help my clients do, and I’ve found myself practicing it more and more lately.
Sometimes you just gotta steal a moment or two where you can, and slip in the wellness stuff.
Here are 10 ideas to get you started:
1) Waiting for your Grubhub or DoorDash delivery? This is the perfect time to go for a walk. As long as it’s at least a 10-minute bout, this counts towards your daily cardio numbers.
2) Getting impatient while your oven’s coming up to temperature? Repeat idea #1.
3) Babysitting your grandchildren while they’re taking a nap or glued to Fortnite? Walk up and down the halls, or around your house for 10 minutes (and remember, getting outside is also great for your psyche).
4) Logging into your Zoom meetings too early? Perform 10 squats and 10 wall-ups while waiting for the Host to “let you in.”
5) Hate sitting through commercials (I do!)? Walk around the house for a few minutes. Remember: any exercise is better than no exercise (and sitting for hours on end is killing you).
6) Listening to a podcast or webinar on your phone? Plug in your ear buds and take a stroll.
7) Ladies–stuck at the home improvement store with your spouse? Gentlemen—tired of looking at holiday ideas at the craft or fabric store? Strike out on your own! There are probably lots of long aisles in which you can do some quick walking. People may look at you strange, but who cares? They may even wish they’d thought of this idea themselves.
8) Enjoy cereal for breakfast? This is the perfect vehicle for berries, bananas, apple slices, and any other fruit you can throw in. And don’t forget, scrambled eggs or an omelet just taste better with veggies.
9) Need a quick pick-me-up in the mid afternoon? A handful of greens and fruit boosts the nutritional contribution of your smoothie drinks.
10) Making your favorite spaghetti sauce, chili, or soup recipe? Throw in grated zucchini and carrots, chopped peppers and mushrooms, or even a spoonful of canned pumpkin to add flavor, fiber, and micronutrients by the dozens!
For more ideas to fit healthy moments into your life, please reach out to me.