A daily exercise routine can be a powerful tool in achieving your fitness goals and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle. A little bit of physical activity can boost energy levels, decrease fatigue, improve mood, and even reduce stress and anxiety.
Whether you are a fitness newbie or a long-time gym-goer, it is important to find a daily exercise routine that fits your schedule and is easy to stick with. By spacing weekly cardio and strength-training activities into shorter sessions a few times a day, you can keep your schedule manageable and still meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week, as well as achieve other goals such as toning and leaning muscle mass.
Start by planning the best time to do your workouts based on when you are most alert and awake. For example, if you are an early bird, plan your morning workouts for the first hour of the day. Alternatively, if you are a night owl, schedule your evening workouts for the last hour of the day.
Be creative in your home workouts and make them fun! Adding an exercise that you enjoy to your daily routine is a great way to break up the monotony of your workouts and stay motivated.
Get a workout in while you watch TV, chat with a friend on the phone, take photos on a scenic hike, dance to music, or play an outdoor game of golf. These exercises may seem inconsequential to you at first, but they are powerful tools for a healthier you.
Try these simple exercises to build strength and muscle:
Squats
The squat builds lower body strength, core muscles, and flexibility. They also burn a lot of calories and are effective for reducing body fat.
Lunges
These calf-burning exercises also help strengthen your legs and glutes. They work the major muscles in your thighs, including your quadriceps (thigh muscles), gluteus medius and butt.
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with a weight at each side. Bend your knees slightly, and push back with your hips. Repeat with your other leg.
Do a couple of sets of eight to 10 reps per side. Slowly increase the holding time as your muscles get stronger.
Pressing your chest toward the ceiling with a bar or dumbbells is an excellent upper-body exercise that can challenge your chest, lats and shoulders. To add an extra challenge, use an exercise ball under your head and upper back for added resistance.
Pull-ups
The pull-up is a great upper-body exercise that targets your biceps and triceps as well as your chest. For a more challenging workout, you can also do the pull-up with an exercise ball under your head and upper back.
These exercises are simple to do and can be performed at home with minimal equipment. They are an excellent choice for beginners and seniors who may have health issues, but who want to increase their fitness.
Milena Estêvão is a YouTuber passionate about sharing her experiences (challenges, successes and motivations) in the fitness activities she is involved in.
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