Are You Getting Enough Exercise?

Maintaining a physically active lifestyle is essential to your health and wellness. Unfortunately, though, statistics show only 5% of all U.S. adults spend a sufficient amount of time exercising. Maybe you work 40 or more hours a week, or perhaps you're busy driving the kids to and from school. Regardless, it's often difficult to dedicate time to exercising. Even if you have a busy or otherwise hectic lifestyle, though, there are ways to squeeze in more exercise.

Take the Stairs

If you typically ride the elevator to your workplace, you can take the stairs to increase your physical activity. Climbing stairs is a form of aerobic exercise, and like all forms of aerobic exercise, it's good for your heat. It stimulates your heart rate to promote a stronger cardiovascular system that's less susceptible to disease.

Shop Locally

Another way to get more exercise is to shop locally. With the age of the internet upon us, many people prefer to shop online. You can easily and conveniently purchase products online by visiting a retailer's website. But if you're trying to squeeze in more exercise, you might want to shop locally. Shopping at local retail stores and businesses forces you to walk around. Depending on how many local stores you visit, you may walk an additional one or two miles simply from shopping.

Watch TV Standing Up

It may sound unusual, but if you're going to watch TV, you should consider standing up. Your body will burn more calories when standing as opposed to sitting. At the same time, you can use this opportunity to lift weights, perform lungs or engage in other types of exercises.

Go for a Jog

You don't need a gym membership or even at-home equipment to increase your physical activity. You can exercise simply by lacing up your shoes and going for a jog. Depending on your weight, age and other factors, you may burn anywhere from 100 to 200 calories per mile when jogging.

Cycle Rather Than Drive

Driving isn't the only way you can get around town. If you live in a densely populated area, you can probably cycle as an alternative method of transportation. Cycling allows you to enjoy the outdoors while also providing a beneficial form of aerobic exercise. Even if you only cycle one or two days each week, that's still extra physical activity to improve your health and wellness.