7 Exercises for 7 Days "Fit" Challenge

Many of us find it difficult, if not impossible, to get a workout in most days a week. Not only is it difficult to carve out any time in your busy schedule, but trying to get the recommended 30 minutes minimum in all at once seems impossible! Well, here's the deal. You can find little ways to exercise throughout your busy day while doing your regular routine. Yes, that is right, you don't have to carve out very much EXTRA time for exercise to make a difference!



Now, you might be asking yourself what you could possibly do without losing time in your day. Well, I'm not only going to help you answer that question, but I'm going to CHALLENGE you to FIT fitness into some of your daily activities. What will help you remember to do these exercises is to post Post-it notes around your house for these 7 days to remind you of what you could be doing.

For 7 days, I want you to add the following 7 exercises into your day:

1)  Glute Bridge in bed

 

Set your alarm 2 minutes earlier than you normally would and set your snooze button to go off 2 minutes later. When your alarm goes off, hit snooze (that's right I said to hit snooze!). Throw back the covers. Hug your knees to your chest. Put your feet down so your knees are bent hip-width apart and your ankles are aligned directly under your knees (fig 1). Squeeze your glutes (butt muscles) and lift your hips up to make a straight line with your shoulders and knees (fig 2). Lower back to the bed and repeat lifting and lowering until your alarm goes off again. Congratulations, you have completed 1 exercise before you've even left your bed!!!

2) Toe Walk / Heel Walk around house while you are getting ready



You are now out of bed and probably about to walk to the bathroom (or some other room in your house). Get on your tipsy-toes and walk. Alternate walking around on your tipsy-toes and heels (with your toes pointed up to the ceiling). You have just completed Exercise #2!

3) Squat while you are brushing your teeth

 
You can do this in many different ways. Hold the sink with one hand for balance as you sit back keeping your feet a little wider than shoulder width and your knees over your ankles. Make sure the movement comes from your hips! You can also sit with your back against the wall and hold. Or you can squat like you are going to sit on the toilet (lid down, please) and as soon as you feel the seat on your legs, stand up! Do this 20 times. Exercise #3 - DONE!

4) Lunges - 3 on each leg, in each room that you enter when you get home from work.

 

Take a big step forward, both toes facing straight, and drop your back knee. Extend back up to straight legs. Drop your back knee again. Do this 3 times, and then switch legs. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room...make sure that you do these the first time you enter a new room at the end of the day. Exercise #4 down - you're more than halfway done!

5) Y-Bends while you are making dinner



...Or waiting for the microwave to beep. From a standing position, raise your arms overhead into a Y shape. Bend forward at the waste, keeping your legs mostly straight, and maintaining the Y shape over your ears with straight arms, belly button pulled it. Straighten up to standing. Do this 8 to 15 times. Y not pat yourself on the back for completing Exercise #5!

6) Knee Lifts while you are brushing your teeth

That's right, we're taking advantage of that teeth brushing time (and keeping you on-top of your dental hygiene)! Your arm that is doing the teeth brushing work is already in place. Put your other hand on your same side shoulder. Alternate lifting your knees as high as you can get them towards your elbows, while slightly crunching your elbow to meet your knee. Do 10 to 15 on each side. Exercise #6 done...you're SO CLOSE!

7) Push-ups before you go to bed



Do as many as you can do on your toes. If you can't do them on your toes, go to your knees (make sure your butt is down). If you can't do them on your knees, do them against the wall. Whatever you do, push, push, PUSH off with your hands! Congratulations you're all done with your exercises for the day!!! Wooohoooooooooo!!

Get some well-deserved sleep, wake up, and do it again!