5 Ways to Fit in Fitness

In this fast-paced city, where people are adopting a dynamic and incessantly busy lifestyles, it's hard for us to fit in fitness to our daily routine. Here are ways even the busiest person can sneak in workouts and still make your way to conquer the world!

The more ambitious you get, the more free time becomes a rare luxury you can't afford. So how do you make sure to stay in shape with a tighter schedule? We found five different ways to fit-in fitness throughout the day without cutting into your social agenda.

#1 WAKE UP AND WORK OUT

If you know you have a packed afternoon or a party to attend, then skip hitting the snooze button and start your day with this mini-workout. It will get your heart racing before your first cup of coffee—and you don't even need to put on shoes!

SQUATS
3­–5 sets of 10




Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly lower your bottom like you would to sit down in a chair. Keep your back straight and chin up. Lower as far as you can while keeping your knees parallel with your ankles. Then slowly stand back up.

WORKS: Lower body

PUSH-UPS
3–5 sets of 10





Lie facedown with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keeping your body straight, push up with your arms to support yourself on your hands and toes. To modify for less effort, lower your knees to the floor.

WORKS: Arms, back and chest

BICYCLE SIT-UPS
3 sets of 20





Lie on your back. Place your hands behind your head. Lift your legs off the ground. Extend the right leg out while bringing your left knee toward your chest. Lift your head, neck and shoulders up and reach with your right elbow across your body toward your left knee. Lower back down. Repeat on opposite side.

WORKS: Core

#2 LEG IT AT LUNCH

If you can take a true lunch hour, spend it on the stairwell in your office or walk a few laps around your work building. You can easily burn 200 calories and still have plenty of time to eat lunch.

#3 PUMP UP DURING PRIME TIME

You don't have to be on a treadmill to work out and watch TV—just clear out some space in front of the couch before you queue up the DVR. You can skip rope (a quality one can be bought for under $9 on amazon.com) or get in some jumping jacks. Invite over a few friends to sweat along.

Spend commercials doing planks:

PLANK
3 sets at 30 seconds





Lie facedown on a mat. Push off from your chest, resting on your forearms and toes. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

SIDE PLANK
3 sets at 30 seconds

Begin facedown with your elbows resting on the floor or a mat. Rotate to the right side then push up so you are resting on your right forearm and outer right foot, with your hips and back in alignment. Try not to let your hips sag. Repeat on left side.

#4 INCREASE YOUR INTENSITY

Want to hit the gym but still make it to the cocktail party? Cut down on your gym time by increasing the intensity of your workout so you can burn more calories in less time. A few things to try:

- Increase the level of resistance on the elliptical trainer, stationary bike or stair stepper.
- Try interval training.
- Incorporate plyometrics into your strength training.
- Put the treadmill on an incline and step up your speed.

#5 GET MORE OUT OF CHORES

Volunteer to be the official leaf-raker or snow-shoveler in your household—you'll get lots of goodwill and a good workout. Plus, you burn more calories in cold weather than in warm. You can also sneak in some power walking on your next grocery trip by parking at the outer ring of the lot.

DISCLAIMER: The calories burned in each of these fitness moves was calculated for a 150 pound person exercising at a moderate to vigorous level.