Few of us can find time for a daily hour-long workout (though if you’re one of those who can – please share your time-saving secrets!). For the rest of us, snatching moments of downtime throughout the day can be a valuable way to sneak in activity.
Depending on how much time you’ve got – 3 minutes, 5, or 10 – and where you are (yes, even a gas station pit stop offers opportunities!), choose one of the activities below. We like to think of these sneaky moves as calorie-burning multi-tasking.
If you’ve got 3 minutes…
At home: TV commercial breaks were meant for sit-ups — and the time you spend waiting for leftovers to reheat can be used for squats. See how many you can do.
At the office: Making copies? Give your legs a mini workout. Do a right leg lift, then a left. Repeat. The more copies, the better!
Out and about: Skip the drive-thru at the cleaners, bank or pharmacy. The time it takes to park the car, walk in and get what you need is time well spent.
If you’ve got 5 minutes…
At home: Don’t just watch water boil. Do some leg lunges or kitchen-chair dips to pass the time.
At the office: It’s not just a stapler or a heavy book, it’s a dumbbell! Ideal for bicep and tricep moves.
Out and about: Filling the tank? Why not fill the time with step-ups on the curb or lunges by your bumper.
If you’ve got 10 minutes…
At home: Take on a few DIY tasks: Tidy up, rake the lawn or weed the flower beds.
At the office: Break time? Take it outside. Create mini walking routes that energize your body as well as your mind.
Out and about: Maximize your mall time. Whatever store you are headed to, enter from the opposite side of the building.