Fitness hacks are an effective manner of ensuring the body stays fit, despite the rigorous schedule that modern lifestyles demand. Gyms and fitness centres, while increasingly popular are not easily accessible for everyone. In a recent survey, several respondents cited problems like the unavailability of fitness centres in the vicinity and expensive membership fees as causes for concern.
If that sounds like you, don’t worry, you can stay in shape by following some quick pro tips and tricks. Read on to learn about some fitness hacks that can be worked into a busy schedule.
1. Bed Pushups:
Bed pushups are a brilliant way to work on being fit from the moment you wake up. The bed can be used for doing some pushups for even as little as 60 seconds to get some great exercise.
2. Exercise while brushing:
Brushing is one of those activities that are carried out on a daily basis. Exercises such as standing on one leg while brushing and pulling in the abdominal muscles can help ensure more fitness for your body while performing routine tasks. This kind of exercise helps increase balance and symmetry throughout the hips.
3. Engage muscles through squats:
Even if no weights or gym equipment are around, three sets of squats for 25 reps at any point in the day helps engage the muscles productively. It is even more crucial to engage the muscles when the workout routine within the day is only for a short period of time, since this helps increase metabolism.
4. Stretches:
Leg muscles often get tight, owing to extensive travel and sitting for long hours at an office desk. Stretching helps improve flexibility and also builds strength. This can be achieved by lying down on the back, extending the right leg and raising it until a stretch is felt. It is necessary to keep the left leg bent to protect the back and stop hips from becoming misaligned. The stretch should be held for 15 to 30 seconds, then the other leg must be stretched.
5. Using Baskets at Supermarkets:
Most supermarkets offer customers the choice to use baskets or push carts to hold the goods they wish to buy. Pick a basket to hold the groceries, as it enables an effective workout of the arms. However, it is important to switch arms and ensure an even workout of arm muscles.
6. Use the Stairs Instead of Elevators:
This is a simple switch that is also a very popular fitness hack. Always using the stairs to climb up or down instead of an elevator can easily help lose a few extra calories without taking up too much time in a busy schedule.
7. Walk Wherever Possible:
Walking has several benefits for health, and is also a great way to burn some excess calories and stay fit. For short distances, such as venturing to a shop, walking is a great way to inculcate fitness into a rigorous schedule. Walking can also be a family activity, with the entire family ensuring self-care.
8. Gift Wrapping:
Gift wrapping is a task that involves the use of the arms, shoulders and neck muscles as well for balance. Since the activity requires focused, concentrated movements of the arms and fingers, even an hour of it can become a calorie-burning activity that fosters increased fitness.
9. Get Adequate Sleep:
A lack of sleep increases the appetite, resulting in binging on unhealthy snacks. Ensuring the body gets enough rest in the form of sleep is an important component of ensuring fitness.
10. Move in Place:
Most fitness experts advise the need to stay moving, no matter where. A few squats while waiting for the rice to be cooked or even some pushups right at the time of waking up can help burn calories effectively.
Most people have unhealthy lifestyles these days, owing to demanding work schedules that require a lot of time being spent on the computer, which leads to a host of health problems. As a child, Raghu had seen his father lift weights at home while watching the news on television every morning before he headed to work. Raghu had always admired how his father was able to multitask in this manner and get more done within the limited time available to him to ensure his own fitness and health. As Raghu began work as a software professional, he realized not many hours were available to him to hit the gym. Even on days he was reasonably free from work, he was too tired to actually go to a gym and follow a proper workout schedule.
While he had long ago invested in a critical illness insurance policy, he knew more precautions had to be taken for him to stay healthy and prevent falling prey to a host of critical illnesses whose incidence continued to rise.
Fitness hacks are ideal in the fast-paced world of today, where stories like Raghu’s are pretty common and not many people have the means or the time to go to a gym. With the incidences of critical illnesses being on the rise owing to such unhealthy lifestyles, people are increasingly investing in critical illness insurance policies. While insurance is a way to ensure minimal financial resources are required in case the policyholder does contract a disease, it is best to practice fitness hacks like those mentioned above to maintain good health.
Comments