How to Get Your Daily Exercise Without a Gym Workout

I hate to work out. O.K. There I said it. My daughter is working out on a piece of home gym equipment as we speak. I just hate it.

She has always had a gym membership; I went with her to work out one time on an eliptical machine, and I was so bored. I had to take a break to eat a Little Debbie Cake. I did fit in much better than her brother; he thought the cup holders on the equipment were an ash tray!

I have been watching elderly people I know and love suffer the effects of obesity in their last years: diabetes, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, immobility, etc... It has made me think about trying to make some healthy changes in my life. Today, I walked out to my car at the end of the hospital lot instead of taking the shuttle. I know that I need to change my diet and get more exercise. But, I hate to work out.

I was thinking that maybe I just need to be more active. There are ways you can add activity to your life and get your daily exercise without a workout. And, they are free!

Comfortable shoes!

Step 1

The most obvious, is what I did today: walking. We all know this, but take every opportunity to avoid it. I am going to try to take a few extra spins around the store when I shop, or wherever I happen to be each day. This is one of the best and probably most enjoyable of all the active lifestyle changes you can make.

Step 2

Take the steps sometimes. Not everytime, maybe, but once a day? If you are in a situation where you ride an elevator up and down all day, maybe once you could take the stairs?

Step 3

Housework is a great way to get your daily exercise. I am always offering to let my daughter do it for free here and save on her gym membership! But, according to an article by Kate Lee on the CVS website, making a bed burns 230 calories an hour!(Resource at end of article) I really could stand to do some of it, for more reasons than one!

Step 4

Active activities are another great way to get your daily exercise without working out. When I was a little younger, I used to enjoy skating with my kids when they went to skating parties and such. It is a litte dangerous, very good exercise. Bowling, Putt-Putt, golf, tennis, bike riding, swimming, laser tag, frisbee, or just tossing the football. Of course, you may have medical situations that prevent some of these, but these are options. They are much more fun than those stupid exercise machines.

Step 5

Play with and take care of your pets. Bathing a labrador retriever is exercise! They would love a good walk, or just to frolic some in the yard with a ball.

Step 6

Gardening. I don't like this much more than working out at the gym, but gardening and weeding are a great way to get your daily exercise. Mowing and raking is good, too.

Step 7

Pushing a wheelchair is good for your heart in more ways than one. There are so many people who would welcome an occasional trip to the mall or the Walmart, and you can get your daily exercise getting them in and out of the car, pushing their wheel chair, loading a walker, etc...If you don't think that is exercise, obviously, you have never manipulated a wheel chair.

As usual, check with your doctor first.

Lee, Kate, CVS.com

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