Quit Excusing and Get Moving

People often complain that they are just too busy, working at the office or taking care of the house, to find time to exercise every day. However once you get started, you will find out how easy it can be to make sure you are getting your 30 minutes of movement every day – it may be because you are having fun exercising or simply because you have changed your routine to get yourself going.

If you can not think of ways to get moving, we have some suggestions that you can try out:

At Home

• Get your children involved. Play with them, or take them with you when you go for a jog.
• Get to work. Tell the maid to take some time off and do some intensive cleaning yourself. You will have a cleaner house and a fitter body. If it is a weekend, try washing the car yourself; it is good for you and it can be lots of fun with the kids.
• Start walking. Wait for the cool of the evening, or get up at Fajar and go for a stroll. Ask friends, family and neighbours to join you and make it fun. If you have a baby, push it in its pram for an extra workout.
• Try gardening. Mowing the lawn is great exercise and it is very satisfying to have a garden that you have cared for yourself.
• Do not be a couch potato. Instead of sitting in a sofa to watch TV all the time, do stretches, exercises, or pedal a stationary bike sometimes.

At Work

• Park your car further away than usual and walk to your office building.
• Instead of a tea or coffee break, take a ten-minute walk, inside or outside your office building.
• Avoid taking the lift every time, use the stairs instead.
• Join a gym near your office and make it part of your routine.
• Start a sports league in your office: make up a cricket or football team and compete with other departments.
• Every hour you are at your desk, spend a few minutes moving your feet up and down and in circular motions.
• Instead of calling all the time, prefer to visit your colleagues personally too at times.

At Play

• Walk, jog or bicycle.
• Swim
• Join a group teaching yoga, martial arts or aerobics
• Play squash, badminton or table tennis. Even your dining table can be converted into a table tennis table.
• Join a cricket or football league
• Take walks and explore your neighbourhood on foot. Go sightseeing and astonish your friends with your knowledge of the city!