It’s no secret that regular exercise has many benefits. Research has shown that it improves physical health and quality of life. It improves psychological well-being, increases energy levels, helps you manage your weight, and promotes better sleep. The list goes on and on. Yet we still manage to make excuses for not doing it such as “I’m too busy” or “I don’t have any time.” I’m going to teach you how to eliminate excuses and how to design a fitness plan for Long Island moms that works.
You spend your day taking care of your kids, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, shopping for food, cooking, going to work, helping the kids with their homework, getting them to their sporting events or practices…and on and on. There is just not a minute left in the day as a Long Island mom for you to be consistent with your fitness plan. NOT TRUE. You would be amazed at how much exercise you can squeeze into your daily routine on those days when you just can’t get to one of your favorite boot camp classes. Keep in mind that exercise is cumulative, not an all-or-nothing event. Just do a few minutes here and there throughout the day and you can get a full body workout in! Some of these ideas might seem obvious- but are you doing them? Stop letting lack of time be an excuse!
Exercises to do while you are waiting for your kids at their sporting event/practice:
Many Long Island moms believe that they can’t make fitness progress due to waiting at events but check out these ideas…
- Jog (add some lunges and jumping jacks throughout the jog and have fun with it.)
- Jump rope (should already be in your car for boot camp.)
- Find a park bench (step ups, squat jumps onto bench, decline/incline push-ups, plank walk over)
- Use a curb (toe taps, on offs, jumping split squats)
For the above exercises, you can pick one and do it for a set amount of time or make a circuit out of a combination of them. You can time yourself if you have a stopwatch or timer. Or, even easier, pick a number of repetitions and do each for that number of times. Keep your eyes open and be creative. Let the playground become your gym away from TBBC.
Exercises to do while washing dishes, cooking, waiting for something in the microwave:
- Balance on one leg- count to 10, switch
- March in place
- Heel raises- Place hands on edge of counter and lift heels off the ground, hold for a second then lower. Do in sets of 20-30.
- Counter push-ups- Put hands on edge of counter and lower chest toward counter. Do sets of 10.
- Pendulum kicks- Keeping leg straight, kick leg out to side, then back to center. Do 10 reps on each side.
- Rear leg lifts- Keep a slight bend in your knee, lift one leg behind you, hold for a second then release. Repeat 5-10 times then switch legs.
- Using the microwave for 30 sec? Drop and do a plank (or exercise of your choice) instead of just standing there.
Exercises to do while watching TV:
- Do a commercial challenge- pick an exercise (push-ups, squats, v sit-ups, plank, etc.) Pick and do a new exercise each time there is a commercial. (Food for thought- a 1 hr. TV program has approximately 20 min. of commercials. If you exercised through only half the commercials for that one show, every six days you would add the equivalent of two 30 min. workouts to your exercise regimen!)
- Couch triceps dips
- Bridges – This exercise is a staple we use for busy Long Island moms in their fitness program due to the unique way they target the butt muscles.
- Stretching
Exercises to do while at work:
- Leg extensions- While sitting in your chair, extend right leg until its level with your hip and hold as long as you’re comfortable then relax. Alternate sides.
- Shoulder raises- Raise your shoulder to your ear, hold, then relax. Repeat, alternating sides.
- Back-twist- Sit up straight in your chair and place your right arm behind your right hip. Twist to the right and hold. Alternate sides.
- Chair squats- lift rear off end of seat and hold for a few seconds then relax.
- Always take the steps.
In our busy world, time is a precious commodity. Learn how to use it wisely and don’t let the lack of it get in the way of your health and happiness! By incorporating just some of my ideas from the Fitness Plan for Busy Long Island Moms Workout, you will not only be doing yourself a favor, you will set a great example to those around you. Happy exercising!
Kathy Conlon serves as a First Impression Director and Assessor at TBBC in Farmingdale, NY. She takes her role of helping you stay on track with your fitness goals seriously while managing to always make sure you are having fun.