Our lives can get incredibly hectic, and as much as we plan and organize to have enough time to do all the things we need done in our life, it can easily be forgotten that we still need to take care of ourselves, especially when it comes to fitness.

It is better if you can get at least 3 days of 30 minute intense workouts in every week, that way you have more of an opportunity to work out all of your muscles by doing different exercises, but if you can’t do that, incorporating a few things in your day to day activities can make a difference, both physically on the outside and emotionally on the inside. As I usually say, “a little goes a long way”, and these tips may not seem like much, but if you naturally add them to your daily lives, it will add up and make a difference in the long run.

When faced with the opportunity to take the stairs instead of the elevator, seize it! This especially comes in handy if you’re able to use the stairs at your work, or if you live in an apartment building. Walking stairs not only contributes to your overall cardio, especially if you walk at a brisk pace, but it is also a great work out for your leg muscles, which by the way, walking stairs will make your legs look much more toned and fit. Plus, you’ll save that dreadful time waiting for elevators to come and being cramped up in a confined space with a group of people.

Whenever you take a trip to the mall, an event or basically any place where you have to park your car and walk somewhere else, don’t bother searching for closer parking, immediately park your car further away. By parking further away, you’re not only walking more, but your stressing less about driving up and down rows in full parking lots trying to find a free spot, you may save time, and if you park in an area where there are less cars around, you’ll decrease the chances of accidental door dings and miscellaneous car accident related things. Of course, there are situations where you shouldn’t or cannot do this, like if walking to your destination or coming back is at nighttime, always put your safety first.

Instead of using a regular chair, either at home or at work, sit on a yoga ball. It can take some time to get used to, particularly if you don’t naturally balance well, but once you do, good things will come of it. Not only are you consistently
engaging your core abdomen muscles, but you’re also strengthening your lower back muscles. You’ll also be improving your overall posture because sitting on the yoga ball forces you to sit up straight.

This is my favorite exercise, mainly because I love my calve muscles and enjoy working them out. Anytime you’re standing, lift your heels so all your weight is distributed to your toes, hold for 2 seconds, and lay your feet flat again. Repeat these actions continuously. You’ll notice your calve muscles will become more toned and defined. Side note, another way to tone your calves, is by wearing heels. Have you noticed that women who always wear heels tend to have the nicest looking legs? That’s part because those women are always on their toes and their leg muscles naturally get worked out as they walk. However, there are other issues that can develop by always wearing heels, such as back problems. Wearing heels all the time may also not work for some women simply because they are not able to wear heels, or can’t walk in them, which is perfectly fine, stick with toe lifts instead.

This one sounds uber weird, but by doing this exercise you’ll notice a firmer and possibly more toned booty! All this involves is flexing the muscles in your bum by either alternating between each butt cheek that you flex or by flexing both at the same time. I’m a dancer at heart and usually tapping some type of rhythm or beat with my hands, so I take this same concept and apply it to my bum muscles. The brilliant thing about it, is that you can do this virtually anywhere, although it’s advisable to do this when your back side can’t be seen because it does look a little funny.

There are a variety of breathing exercises that can not only help with weight loss, but are also good for your overall health and immune system. Typically, these exercises are done while practicing yoga, however, I’ve found that you can perform these breathing techniques anywhere you want. A bit of warning, further research should be done into the various techniques because some are not suitable to do for people with heart diseases or high blood pressure. Two common breathing techniques that you can perform on the go are:

1. First inhale a deep breath, then exhale your breath from your nose in short sniffs. While ‘sniffing’ out your breath, your stomach/abdomen muscles should be flexing and contracting.
2. Inhale a deep breath, then exhale your breath making a ‘hissing’ sound like a snake. While ‘hissing’, you’ll notice your abdomen muscles tightening. Repeat this 7-10 times.

For more breathing exercises and instructions on how to perform these exercises, watch this 40 minutes Pranayama Yoga video that is specifically targeted for weight loss. It begins with an introduction, and the breathing exercises being around the 5 minute mark.

In this day and age, we are so accustomed to jumping into our cars to go anywhere, even if it’s to the corner store down the road. Forget that! Especially for short distances, speed walk to your destination instead. Any chance you’re able to walk, take it, simply walk. If you’re a mall shopper, instead of going from one store to the store right next to it, go to a store on the complete opposite end first, then come back. Walking around the mall is an easy way to add a lot of walking into your routine.

A tip that will help you keep track of your results and serve as motivation to continue doing these tips, and possibly include fitness into your life even more, is using a Fitbit watch. This keeps track of your calories, the amount of distance that you’ve walked, measures the quality of your sleep and does so much more.

By incorporating these 8 tips into your everyday activities, although it may not seem like it will make an impact, you’ll notice a difference in your health and how you feel. The best part about all these tips, is that you won’t have to alter your life significantly in order to include some type of fitness into your life. The more you take care of yourself, the better you’ll feel, and the more energy you’ll have to do the things you want and spend the time with the people you love.