For the Busy Babe: The Secret to Effortless Exercise
Is life keeping you busy? You’re going to want to read this…
This post comes from our blog intern, Natalie.
Working out should be fun. In fact, working out doesn’t always have to be about “working out.” For all the busy babes out there, I’m talking to you. Exercising is amazing crucial for both your body and mind, and is particularly important to relieve pent up stress after a long day. But when you seldom have a free moment, an hour session in the gym can take away from quality time that could be spent laughing with friends and family, or having a carefree moment to yourself. My advice? Do what you do best – multitask.
So grab your friends and loved ones and move, but make it fun! Here are a few of my favorite alternative ways to break a sweat.
Moonshadow Legging, Amelie Hoodie
Hiking – This is my personal favorite, and how I plan to spend as many of my weekends as I can this summer. Hiking is a great way to build strength in your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core. Talk about a total body workout! Beyond that, I think the best part is that being outside in the quiet bliss of nature can have a calming and rejuvenating effect on the mind. I recommend first doing research to find a few local trails and make a list of hikes you want to try during the summer months. You would be surprised by the little pockets of nature that can be found in even the biggest of cities!
Walking – Looking for something simple? Try brisk walking. Walking is highly underestimated in its benefits for the mind and body. Not only is it a great way to de-stress and lift your mood after a long day of work, but it does wonders for keeping your heart healthy. While you move, use the time to pop headphones in and catch up on your favorite podcast, or bring along a friend you’ve haven’t seen in a while. Multi-tasking at it’s best.
Dancing – Unless you spent your childhood in a dance studio, I’m guessing this idea evokes the thought, “But I can’t dance.” Well, what about when nobody’s watching? I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but laugh and smile when I dance, especially when there is no judgement attached. Just make it you, your room, and some groovy tunes. Forget running on a treadmill, this is cardio done right.
Swimming – It’s summer, which means it’s time to dive into the water. Forget lap pools, I am talking about taking carefree strokes across a lake, or diving under the bellowing ocean waves. Swimming is a harmonious blend of cardio and strength training. The constant movement increases your heart rate, and the resistance of moving through water creates opportunity to build lean muscle.
Cleaning – This may seem like a weird idea, but I seem to always break a sweat while cleaning. Yes cleaning isn’t what is usually described as “fun,” but cranking up some tunes and the ultimate result of a room looking pristine sounds pretty great to me. Create even more movement by setting a time goal and working double time to speed up your process.
+ These are just some of my ideas, but I would love to hear from you! Use the comment section to add to this list. Let’s become experts at effortless exercise.
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