Keep moving!

Small hits of activity can help you feel better body and mind—and it can be easier than you think to sneak it in.
Published December 16, 2016

Between work, family, social obligations—and, oh yeah, the holidays—does activity often fall off your "to-do" list? Maybe you can’t wedge an hour-long bike ride or kickboxing class in your schedule—but you probably can find five or 10 minutes throughout your day to sneak in a round of wall push-ups here, a brisk walk there. Such mini workouts can pay off big! In fact, you can reap some of the same health benefits from 10 minutes of aerobic exercise that you can from longer, sweatier stints—including stronger muscles, better mood, and lower blood pressure—which can ultimately play into weight loss and help stave off health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Sounds good, right? But what to do when it's cold, rainy, snowy—or all three? Not to worry: Here are ways to get in some good moves when the weather's not cooperating.

Got 10 minutes?

The more mini-workouts you can shoehorn in, the better: To have a truly healthy and fit body and maintain your weight loss, being active throughout your day is key. Try to sneak moving more into activities you do every day. Strap on an activity monitor like Fitbit ® or Weight Watchers pedometer and you can see the progress you make—which is a pretty powerful incentive!

Along with the ideas in your Weekly, try these fast moves:

Making dinner Turn on the stereo or grab your smartphone to queue up a favorite playlist and dance, dance, dance!

Buying groceries If you have canned items in your cart, do a few arm curls while on line. Have fewer than six bags? If it's not too much of a strain, carry them to the car.

Gassing up the car Alternate calf raises with forward lunges while you're filling the tank.

Watching TV Work your core by doing a series of planks or crunches during commercials.

Working at the office Set your calendar for hourly reminders, then get up and do chair dips, squats, or a few stretches. 

 

Merry munching

Ho! Ho! Ho! Here's a merry roundup of sweet bites for your celebrations—good for giving or eating!