**This post is sponsored by Campbell Soup Company on behalf of their continued Heart Healthy Campaign.**
5 Unusual Ways To Exercise While Living In Rural Areas
Winter time in rural areas sometimes can make it hard to get your daily activity in. I know that I used to struggle doing it most days because of the snow on the ground it’s hard to get outside and I am not up for the 30 minutes one way to get to a gym 5 days week. To me it just wasn’t feasible and well to be honest I didn’t put a ton of effort into it either. Remember I am being honest here and could come up with every excuse in the book. I even owned a very nice elliptical that I purchased in college but after 7 years of ownership I could count the amount of times it had been used on one hand. Pathetic right?!
Recently as I have entered into my 30’s it’s become more important to me to get some of this excess weight I have on off AND trying to show my kids a healthier lifestyle. It’s tough and there is not a lot of willing people in my house but I figure if my kids at least see me putting some effort into it maybe they will take the initiative as well as they grow. Here are a few ways that I am trying to get a little extra into my daily “workout” schedule.
5 Unusual Ways To Exercise & Get Your Daily Steps In
1. Let’s say that I am a total bookworm! I have found that I can put my iPad on the back of my couch and if I blow the font up I can read while I workout. I usually get my 30 minutes in doing this tossing in a few leg lifts and squats while walking in place.
2. This one is a bit odd but I crank up the music while I am in the shower and do my best to get 2 sets of a 30 second wall sit in at the start of the shower. Our shower bottom is rough so it helps me keep my footing pretty well and the wall is sturdy. I have also been known to try to get a set or two of squats in as well but make sure your safe while doing this.
3. While I fold laundry I am walking in place. With the four of is in the house this is a good way for me to get an extra hour of walking in a week. It’s not a lot at one time but ever little bit helps.
4. I have friend who also walks in place while doing the dishes. I don’t appear coordinated enough for this but I thought I would toss it out there.
5. The last way is I do most of my own hair dye jobs. I don’t let that 30 minutes of time go to waste and try to walk in place while reading a book during that time. I prop my iPad up on the bathroom counter with the tunes going and a book. Just snagged me an extra 30 minutes of workout time every month.
5 Favorite “American Heart Association Certified Recipes”
Not only am I trying to get my workouts in during unusual times and places but I am trying to serve more Heart Healthy Meals for my family. I must say this part is being met with a lot of resistance but at least one meal a week has been replaced for a heart healthy meal. These 5 meals below from Campbell’s are heart healthy and have been met with passable expectations in our house which really says a lot for my no veggie family!
6 COMMENTS
Tammy Woodall
10 years agoAll of your tips are good. However, out of all the tips – I could see myself walking in place while doing laundry or dishes.
Jo-Ann Brightman
10 years agoI don’t find these ways of getting in your exercise to be very odd. I do some of them myself. I don’t think my shower is safe enough to do the exercises there. I also use the steps – sometimes to run up them and sometimes to just go up and down 10x on the first step with each leg.
Jennifer Hiles
10 years agoWhen I’m folding the laundry, I put the clothes away piece by piece so that I end up walking all over the house several times before I’m done. It takes longer but I get a little bit of walking in. I like your shower ideas. I’ll have to try those.
Tammy S
10 years agoThese are all great tips. I really like the walking in place while doing laundry. So easy! Thanks!
Mary Dailey
10 years agoThese are some great ideas. Even when we don’t have snow on the ground, I don’t feel like leaving the house sometimes when it’s really cold. Thanks for the tips!
Julie Wood
10 years agoThese are really great tips in how to get exercise in living in a Rural area. I like that I live in a house where it is long, and I walk back and forth for about 20 minutes a day listening to music. This keeps me in shape! And being in the winter, I can not walk outside. I mostly walk outside when it is nice out! I also jump on a mini trampoline while watching TV!