By Dr. Mark Wiley

I know, you don’t have time to break from you extremely busy day to work out or even move a bit more than usual. I hear you saying, Money’s tight and I have nothing left for the gym. And of course, when it’s a choice of where to spend that free time and those free dollars… a little entertainment probably wins.

But it doesn’t have to…

Whether you’re a serious gym rat or a sometimes fitness enthusiast, you are trying to lose weight and strengthen the body. Funny how some people are reluctant to join a gym or hire a personal trainer at first. There’s something about overcoming inertia… once you get going, moving is easy. In other articles I’ve written about the motivation “to do it.” In this article I want to share something different with you.

The other side of the coin is that once people get into the nuts and bolts of their personal training… they just love it! They feel good. They see results. They can’t imagine not doing it, or even skipping a day. And they want more and more. But there are only so many hours in a day to train… or are there?

Related Article: Make Health Your Daily Ritual

Almost every day I have clients asking me for simple ways they can stoke their metabolism, stretch their muscles, burn calories and get strong throughout their day. They’re addicted to the fitness lifestyle, and crave more of it. I love when I hear this and have compiled a list of daily activities you can do that keep you in fitness mode all day. Here they are, by topic.

1. Walking

Walking is so great because it boosts the metabolism, strengthens the legs and keeps the hip flexors supple. And a mere 20-minute walk can burn 100 calories. To increase all of these good things, make it a brisk walk and be sure to swing your arms!

No time for a special walk, no problem. Here’s how to fit it in:

1) Park at the far end of your work lot and walk into the office

2) Skip the elevator and always take the stairs

3) Forget driving to your local market or store and walk instead.

2. Housework

When you are home, forget sofa time and instead get busy with housework. While it may seem mundane, doing your chores offers an instant metabolic boost. And the flexibility/strengthening effects of all the pushing, pulling, reaching and lifting add to your fit day.

Not sure what to do, well 20 minutes of these simple activities burns 100 calories each. Combine three things and your will burn 300 calories, elevate your heart rate, tone your arms and keep the blood moving. Try these three:

1) Vacuum the entire house, room by room

2) Iron all your wrinkled clothes together once per week

3) Clean the windows, mirrors, sinks and tubs.

Check out the “Calorie Calculator” at the end of this article!

3. Just for Fun

We all know the many health benefits of being outside. We draw fresh air into the lungs, get plenty of Vitamin D, tend to move about more, and walk, run, bike or play. But you can have fun inside, too, while living the fit life.
For the working adult with or without kids, fun is often limited to the weekends. Not to worry, there are things you can do during your normal week that will also keep the metabolism stoked, burn calories, tone the muscles and keep the blood moving. Here are some examples:

1) Run to get your mail from the box instead of walking

2) Walk the dog or the neighbor’s dog, and let them lead you at a quick pace

3) make a lunch or after work appointment with a friend and go for a power walk, a run or enjoy a quick game of tennis

4) Turn on the radio and dance yourself crazy for a song or two—talk about a stress buster!

5) Even playing fast-paced video games or Wii Fit is a fun indoor calorie burner.

The best part about all of these tips is that they get you up off your seat, keep you active throughout the day, reduce muscle stiffness and slowing of the metabolism, increase weight loss capability, and help maintain a healthy, strong and supple body that feels alive and refreshed all day!
So give these little things a try and see the difference they make when they all add up at the end of your day and your week. I know you will be surprised!

Use this valuable tool to calculate the amount of calories you can burn when exercising: