Being physically fit doesn’t mean having the ability to run marathons or climb a mountain. It can simply mean being able to walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath or having strong enough muscles to protect your skeletal system from injury. The reality is, the more generally physically fit you are, the healthier you are. The healthier you are, the less prone you will be to illness or injury. Here are three great functional exercises that will help improve your everyday life.
Housecleaning
It turns out, you don’t have to go to the gym to get a good workout and you can actually accomplish something useful while you are getting fit. For instance, sweeping floors burns 156 calories per hour, vacuuming burns 170 calories per hour and if you have to carry your groceries up any stairs, it burns a whopping 440 calories per hour! While you may not engage in any of these tasks for a full hour, a few hours of housecleaning really adds up.
Extra Walking
Walking is one of the very best exercises there is, but not everyone has 20 minutes to an hour to go on a good, long walk every day. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t find a way to pack some extra walking into every day. Instead of using the printer closest to you at work, use the one farthest away. Instead of parking as close to a store as you can, park in the back of the parking lot. You can even get up every once and a while and simply retrieve an item that is 8 feet or more away from you. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator is also a great option that will keep you fit!
Desk Exercises
In the technological age, most people spend several hours sitting at a desk or working on a computer. While standing desks can help, they still don’t actually help increase activity or fitness level. There are, however, a number of great exercises you can do at your desk and even while doing other things. From leg lifts to sit-stands, you can burn some calories and even build some extra muscle right at your desk. If you are lucky enough to have your own office, you can even put on some music or headphones and dance it out!
This article was originally published on SharonGould.org.