Unique Ways of Exercising Without Leaving your House

Everyone has those days when the thought of going to the gym or going out in the cold for a jog is the furthest thing from their mind. That being said, we don’t realise how easy it is to exercise whilst engaging in our daily routine without even noticing we are breaking a sweat!

Do push-ups while preparing food

The majority of us spend quite a bit of time preparing food in the kitchen, which gives us time to burn some calories. Try 10 standing push-ups whilst waiting for the oven to heat up or the pot to boil. Standing push-ups could not be easier: just place your hands on the counter and step back until both your arms and legs are straight, push your arms against the counter and push in and out. This exercise is great for strengthening forearms, wrists, hands, biceps and triceps.

Use the stairs to shape up

If you have stairs in your house, climbing them at a brisk pace is a great form of exercise. Every time you need to walk up the stairs, take two steps at a time instead of one. Using the stairs assists in elevating our heart rate which helps to maintain a strong and healthy heart and lungs which in turn protects against weight gain, high blood pressure and clogged arteries. The stronger our lungs, the more oxygen we can take in, and the less strenuous simple tasks will feel on a daily basis. Climbing stairs exercises and strengthens our bones and muscles which is especially important for women as it may improve bone density which helps to prevent osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition causing the bones to become brittle and weaker. This decrease in bone mass is more common in women after menopause and is also caused by a calcium deficiency.

If you really want to add another element of difficulty to this exercise, carry something heavy up the stairs with you such as the laundry basket or the vacuum cleaner.

The champion of your chores

Household chores can be quite strenuous which is why a chore can easily be transformed into a workout. Next time you vacuum the house, include walking lunges as you move around the room. Start this exercise by standing up straight, shoulders back, holding the vacuum cleaner with one hand and the other either by your side or placed on your hip. Step onto one foot while at the same time lifting onto the ball of the back foot then bend both knees without allowing the back knee to touch the floor and complete the exercise by pushing the front leg up whilst moving the back foot forward.

Lunges are excellent for improving posture and muscle strength, especially in the thighs and the hips, and seeing as it exercises the left and the right side of the body, it improves both the body’s balance and co-ordination. In addition to all these benefits, it exercises the hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps and shapes the legs nicely.

Try one or all of these exercises in the comfort of your own home and keep in mind how your body and your health will benefit from it in the future. All these exercises will increase your heart rate, helping to burn fat. The higher your heart rate, the more calories you will burn. Your stamina and energy levels increase when your heart rate rises and over time you will be able to increase your overall exercise capacity.

Regular exercise and a strong heart can help to lower and protect against high blood pressure. Preventing high blood pressure reduces the risk of heart problems, kidney damage and eye strain.

Keep fit and healthy and remember, you do not have to go to the gym or even leave the comfort of your own home to get your heart beating faster or your muscles feeling stronger!