Dr. Sultan Ahamad

No time for gym? try these 6 amazing tricks to stay in shape

Who says you need to go to the gym to be in shape? people were much fitter when gyms did not exist at all. The key here is being active or moving your body, which given our modern lifestyle seems hard to achieve. Going to the gym at a regular time each day is a focused way of getting your daily exercise. But it’s not the only way. You can have a fit and toned body by making certain changes in your daily lifestyle which will be a more fun and holistic way of embracing exercise. It also saves your gym expenses!

Here are some simple and fun ways to stay in shape without joining a gym:

1. Start simple home exercises

• Skipping, jumps, squats, burpees and lunges are few simple exercises that will give you a great cardio workout.
• If you want to tone your muscles, do bench presses, stomach crunches, squats and burpees.
• Yoga is also a great way to tone up muscles and build strength.

2. Walk more

• Walk to work if possible. If you need to use transport, park your car 1 km ahead of your workplace or get down two stops ahead if you use public transport.
• Walk briskly to feel your heart pumping. Walk while speaking on your mobile phone.
• Buy a pedometer or download a smartphone app to count your daily steps for motivation.
• Doctors recommend a minimum of 10000 steps a day.

3. Stay active at your workplace

• Instead of sitting and staring at your computer screen all day at work, find innovative ways to exercise.
• While you are waiting for that printout, kick up each leg by turn behind you. Use your water bottle to do arm raises and arm twists.
• Clench and release your fingers in case you are typing for too long.
• While sitting at your desk, stretch out your legs by turn and hold them straight out at hip level under the table.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator for a few floors at least.

4. Take up a fun activity

• You can get a pet dog and take it out for regular walks.
• Join a local sports team like cricket, football or basketball.
• Dancing and swimming are other ways of enjoying while exercising.
• You can even play an active video game that requires you to get out of your seat and move.

5. Do household chores

• Daily household chores like sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing and gardening are also ways of staying fit. Do them as fast as you can for maximum impact.
• Also, avoid sitting for too long. Simply standing can stretch your back muscles and help you lose 33% more calories.

6. Start running

• Running or jogging daily is a great way to exercise your whole body and build stamina.
• Make it a social activity by pairing up with your friends and colleagues. All you need is a good pair of shoes.
• You can start building these habits only if you are convinced about the need for daily exercise. It won’t take long before you are so addicted to living a more active life that you wouldn’t want to change it! so go ahead and take small but sure steps towards an active and healthy lifestyle and see yourself transform.