7 Wonderful Ways to Squeeze in Exercise into Your Day ...

We all lead busy lives and sometimes squeezing a workout into the day can seem like time ill-spent, but there are some wonderful ways to squeeze in exercise into your day, without it feeling like a chore. It's really important to make time for that amazing piece of equipment that enables you to do so much - your body - so here are some ways to squeeze in exercise into your day and have some all important fun at the same time!

1. Morning Person

One of the ways to squeeze in exercise is with a fabulous rise and shine workout. I love working out in the morning and it's a great way to start the day. One of the reasons I also like a morning workout is because it's best not to work out too late in the day. Exercising before you go to bed can really affect your ability to sleep soundly. However, with a morning workout, you will feel energised and ready to take on the world. If you're able to, try to get up 30 minutes earlier, as getting your workout done in the morning will also mean you'll have the evening to get on with other fabulous things!

2. Dog Dates

This headline does sound a bit weird, I admit. I'm not condoning any strange activities with your furry friends, but what I am encouraging is outdoor exercise. Even if you don't have a dog to walk, perhaps you can join your friend who does, or you could even take your neighbour's dog out for a nice long walk. Fresh air is great for the body and mind and so is walking with that excitable pooch. Take Beethoven (other dog names are available) for a run around in the park and throw him a ball too. This is great exercise for you both!

3. Fun with Friends

We're all busy people and sometimes making time to catch up with friends can be a real challenge. Why not exercise with your friends? This is a great way to squeeze a workout into your day AND have fun at the same time by catching up with all the latest gossip. It just won't feel like a workout at all! If you have young children then chances are they're keeping you pretty active. There are some great workouts you can do with babies too, such as Buggy Workouts and Buggy Bootcamps. These workouts are specially designed postnatal fitness programmes and incorporate strength and cardiovascular exercises with baby and buggy. So there's no "I can't get a sitter" excuse! Check if there are any going on in your area. It's also a great way to socialise with other new moms and friends.

4. Happy House-Workout

What about housework? This can be a great way to burn those calories and I can really work up a sweat when I get going! It obviously depends on how rigorous you work and how much you get the heart pumping. For example, vacuuming and cleaning the floors can burn around 194 calories an hour. Just think how great you'll feel afterwards as you sit back and marvel at your sparkly shiny floor, safe in the knowledge that you've burnt some calories in the process. So turn up your favourite music and have a house-workout!

5. Terrific TV Time

Use TV time wisely, as this is a great opportunity to squeeze a workout in. You could do some crunches when you're watching TV or 10 minutes of hula hooping. You could also do 20 minutes on your stepper or your bike while you're watching the TV. Never underestimate the power of the commercial break either and use it for some calorie burning fun. For example, do 30 star jumps then rest for 10 seconds then 30 jump 'ropes.' You'll be amazed at how many calories you can burn by doing a few sets of these!

6. Lunch Break Blast

Your lunch break can be a great opportunity to squeeze in some workout time. Depending on how much time you have and where you are, can you squeeze a workout into your lunch break? If not, perhaps you can go for a nice long walk. Walking at a moderate pace will burn around 290 calories an hour. It's far better for you than sitting in the canteen or behind your desk for an hour and it will enable you to digest your lunch better too.

7. Awesome Office Workouts

There are many ways to exercise at the office but obviously you need to use discretion in the work place. I wouldn't whip out your yoga mat in the middle of the board room as it may affect your future promotion opportunities! But there are some simple office exercises you can do which will leave you feeling energised, and this is particularly important if you have a sedentary job. For example, you could do some push-ups against a wall by standing upright and keeping your hands just a little wider than shoulder width apart. You could do some gluteal squeezes too. You can even do this without anyone knowing, as it can be done either sitting or standing. Just squeeze those derriere muscles and hold for a few seconds, then relax. Repeat as many times as you like throughout the day. Wall-sits are another great one to do, as you can even do it whilst reading that report you kept promising you'd read but just never got round to it.

Making time for fitness will make you feel amazing and energised. Make a plan to exercise and put it in your diary. Write it on your calendar too and set a reminder on your phone if you need to. This is a great way to ensure that you have a routine that you can stick to. What things do you do to ensure you can squeeze workouts into your day?

Sources: weightlossresources.co.uk, buggyworkoutuk.co.uk