TIME-SAVING WAYS TO GET BACK INTO SHAPE

Being fit makes a big difference to your health and well-being. But what if your days are full and you can’t afford a gym contract or a set of weights? Here are tips on getting fit in less time and at no cost.

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When you think of fit people, the images in your mind might be beaming girls on treadmills in fancy gyms or lean people sweating over the handles of road bikes that cost more than your car.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration. Even so, basic fitness is within everyone’s reach and it has many benefits. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of heart attacks, type-2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. It can help you control cholesterol, blood pressure and weight. Bones, muscles and joints get stronger, which lowers the risk of osteoporosis.

Studies show that exercise helps against depression. There are several possible reasons. Exercise may block negative thoughts or distract you from daily worries. Getting fitter may lift your mood and improve your sleeping habits. It may also improve the chemical levels in your brain, such as serotonin, endorphins and stress hormones.

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. You could do, say, half an hour per day. Every minute of moderate to vigorous activity counts.

Aerobic, by the way, means "with oxygen”. Breathing controls the amount of oxygen that can make it to the muscles to help them burn fuel and move.

GET GOING
Remember to check with your doctor before starting an exercise programme, especially if you haven't exercised for a long time or have chronic health problems.

Start slowly. Walk five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening, for instance. Add a few minutes to your walks each day. Go a bit faster. Soon you could be doing 30 minutes of brisk walking every day.



You can make small changes in your routine to get in some exercise. Walk or cycle instead of driving. Pick a good time to play with the kids. If running around like crazy isn’t your thing, help them with practice for their sports. Be the goalie while they do penalty kicks, for instance.

Research says that gardening five hours a week can burn 150 to 400 calories per hour. You might not have that much time, but a short bit of garden maintenance, say on weekends, will do you good in many ways.

Walking the dog, especially in a natural environment such as a beach or a park, is an uplifting exercise and can also provide cardio fitness, depending on how fast and how far you go.

Related article: Is walking good enough exercise?

Take tackies to work and go for a walk during your lunch break. It will also help to clear your mind.

Related article: Garden for your mental and physical health



WORKING OUT AT HOME
There are five basic exercises many fitness experts mention that you can do at home. Here they are.

Low Plank. Lie face down with your forearms on the floor and your elbows directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your feet flexed with the bottoms of your toes on the floor. Press into your forearms and rise up on your toes so that only your forearms and toes touch the floor. Your body should be in a straight line from shoulders to feet. Look at the floor to keep your head in line and breathe normally. Hold for ten seconds if you can.

The Bodyweight Squat. Start standing with your feet slightly turned out and wider than hip-width apart. Bend your knees to lower into a squat. Keep the weight in your heels and your chest upright. Keep your knees in line with your feet. Go as low as you can, then push through your heels to return to standing.

The Push-Up. Start in a plank position and place your palms under your shoulders or slightly wider, fingers pointing forward. Bend elbows to lower torso toward the floor. Don't let your hips drop before your chest lowers. Go as low as you can, then push through your palms to straighten your arms.

The Reverse Lunge. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Inhale as you step backwards with your right foot. Land on the ball of your right foot and keep your heel off the ground. Bend your knees to form two 90-degree angles with your legs. Your shoulders should be directly above your hips and your chest upright. Push off with your back foot and press through your front heel to return to standing. Repeat with the other leg.

The Burpee. Stand with feet hip-distance apart. Bring your palms to the floor. Jump back so you are in a plank. Bend your elbows and do a push-up, returning to high plank. Now jump your feet to the outsides of your hands and shoot up. Reach up with your arms overhead as you jump.

London-based physical trainer Adam Jones likes 30 seconds of work with 30 seconds of rest for each exercise. If you find 30 seconds are too long, start with less.

Take it easy at first. Every bit of movement helps.

Related article: 9 Tips to ease back into exercise after a long break

Sources: https://www.realbuzz.com, https://www.self.com, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, https://www.mayoclinic.org