Exercise is important for your health, and it's a crucial
part of weight loss. Doing 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day is
particularly helpful for keeping weight off once you've lost it, experts say.
But finding ways to do that, and staying motivated to do it, is not always
easy.
You don't have to do all your physical activity for the day
at once, but you should aim to do at least 10 minutes of exercise at a time.
Here are some tips for getting more exercise:
Pick an exercise you like
Some people start a new exercise regimen only to stop
shortly afterward because it wasn't working for them. When this happens, it
helps to take a realistic look at the barriers to exercise, said Wayne Miller,
the programs director at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine's
Center for Rural and Community Health, who has studied weight
loss and exercise.
Often, people choose an exercise that they aren't comfortable
with — for instance, they feel awkward at the gym, or dislike participating in
sports. Picking a different activity that's more enjoyable for the person, like
a Zumba class or swimming, might increase the chances that they'll stick with
the exercise, Miller said.
And if specific skills are a concern, you might try picking
an activity that requires minimum equipment, like walking, jogging or jumping
rope, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Exercise with friends
If you need motivation to get moving, it may be helpful to
recruit friends to exercise with you. Friends can provide encouragement and may
help you stick with your exercise routine, according to the National Institutes
of Health.
And social connections may make exercise
more enjoyable — a 2013 study of more than 100 people who took short
surveys on their mobile phone throughout the day found that those who were
doing physical activity with their spouse, friends or co-workers at a given
moment were happier, and enjoyed the physical activity more, compared with
those doing physical activity alone.
Move more at work
Even during a busy workday, you can likely find time to get
a little exercise in at work. You might consider taking a 10-minute walk during
a coffee break, or walking around with a co-worker during a brainstorm session,
rather than sitting at a conference table.
You could also walk around during business calls if you
don't need to look at important documents, the American Heart Association says.
Your commute to and from work is another opportunity for exercise — if you take
public transportation, get off a stop earlier than you usually do and walk the
extra distance, or take the stairs instead of the elevator to your office.
Move more at home
There are also a number of opportunities to squeeze in more
exercise at home. Doing housework or gardening can count as exercise — mowing
the lawn with a hand mower burns about 235 calories in 30 minutes, and
vacuuming burns about 140 calories in 30 minutes, according to the Compendium
of Physical Activities Tracking Guide from the University of South Carolina,
which lists the calories burned during many different types of physical
activity. [How
Many Calories Am I Burning? (Infographic)]
You might also consider buying exercise equipment so you
can work out while doing activities that would otherwise be sedentary, like
watching TV. Equipment can be pricey, but it is a one-time expense and can be
used by the whole family, the AHA notes