One of the most common complaints that I hear on why people don’t exercise is that they don’t have enough time. I’ve developed a series of short-duration exercise “snacks,” short enough that one can do them several times per day, and without having to a allot a larger chunk of time to exercise. A big time-saver and there is a big health benefit also. According to research cited in the New York Times, 5/14/14, these exercise snacks control blood sugar better than one longer exercise session. Better blood sugar regulation means less insulin secreted, which means less fat put into storage. I’ve been testing out some different exercises during TV commercial breaks, or about 2-3 minutes in duration. After just a couple of hours of TV watching, one can accumulate 20-30 minutes of exercise, all done without adding more time to one’s daily schedule. I’m sure advertising executives aren’t wild about it, but heck, it’s all about you as far as I’m concerned. Even better if a family member or friend is with you-you can make a game out of it. Do chair-ups, punches, arm circles, hip swivels, marching, can-can kicks; your imagination is the only limit. If you use a band like I usually recommend, you can add arm curls, bow and arrow, high pulls, shoulder circles, side steps; again, your imagination is your only limit. If you have difficulty fitting exercise into your day, why don’t you give it a try?
Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.