Year after year, getting more exercise ranks among the most popular New Year’s resolutions Americans make.
Year after year, it’s also among the most commonly broken resolutions.
A likely reason is that many fit-people-to-be are overly ambitious, taking on more than what’s reasonable, until their good intentions collapse under the weight of time, exhaustion or a simple lack of interest.
One tactic that works for many resolvers is taking on fitness in smaller chunks by making simple, daily changes to reach a larger goal.
It doesn’t take much, really. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults do 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity each week.
Here are 24 easy ways to incorporate more activity into your daily routine and reach that goal.
1. Join a gym
Plenty of new gym memberships will be ignored a month or two from now. But joining a gym can act as an incentive to stick to a workout and offer activities that can make workouts more fun.
That can be key, said Dr. Gregory Schneider, associate dean for clinical education at Roseman University College of Medicine, because success becomes more likely if you’re doing something you enjoy.
Check out gyms and community rec centers, which often offer free or low-cost classes and exercise equipment.
2. Or set up a simple home gym
Buy a stationary bicycle for the garage. Pick up a few dumbbells online. Maybe just search out free exercise videos online, Schneider suggested. Many require little to no equipment.
3. Incorporate movement into TV watching
“During TV commercials, stand up and do quick exercises like jumping jacks or lunges,” Schneider said.
Then, while watching TV, do stretches and core exercises, pedal a stationary bike, or just get into the habit of punching out a few jumping jacks or pushups.
4. Take a hike …
Or just a walk around the neighborhood. You might even meet a few neighbors.
5. Take a class
Many gyms and community centers offer free or low-cost fitness classes.
6. Join a rec league
It’s a great way for fans of organized sports to indulge in both a fitness regimen and a bit of competition.
7. Take up active hobbies
“Choose hobbies that involve movement, such as gardening, dancing, or playing a sport.” Schneider said
8. Do housework aerobics
“Put on your favorite music and dance while doing household chores,” Schneider said.
9. Multitask
While waiting for the kettle or water for pasta to boil, do a few wall pushups or calf stretches, Schneider said. And while brushing your teeth, do 10 squats or 10 calf raises.
10. Park farther from entrances than you usually do
Pardon the pun, but simple steps can lead to big strides.
11. Take the stairs, not the elevator
Ditto, and, if it helps, think about all of those gym-goers paying a fee to climb an imaginary stairway.
12. Challenge yourself
Use your phone, Fitbit or Apple watch to monitor your daily steps and make it a point to increase your steps each day.
13. Find a workout buddy
A friend can make the drudgery of a workout easier to bear and offer an incentive to make it over the rough patches.
14. Tell family and friends, too
Family members — even the ones who don’t exercise themselves — can offer support and help keep you accountable on your fitness mission.
15. Set a goal
Participating in a 5K. Being fit for that dream hiking or canoeing trip. Just keeping up with the kids during the next visit to Disneyland. All encourage the setting of training goals that can provide incentive when working out becomes a slog.
16. Stand up
Jutta Ward, professor of physiology and assistant dean of curriculum at Touro University Nevada, notes that there is a lot of medical literature about how sitting is “the worst thing” because it’s part of a sedentary lifestyle that is considered a risk for heart disease and other harmful health conditions.
So, make it a point just to stand up every hour or so. “Many of us have Apple watches or FitBits that can be set to give you reminders to stand up,” Ward added.
17. Take a movement break
And since you’re up, take a short break to indulge in some movement. Ward recommends carrying walking shoes to work and taking a walk around the building during breaks.
We’re lucky enough, she added, to live in a place where that can be a year-around activity.
18. Walk and talk
Take a walk while fielding calls at work or at home. And, Schneider said, schedule walking meetings instead of sitting in a conference room.
19. Do simple calisthenics
Calisthenics — the kind you learned in gym class — can be done anywhere. So, do a few squats or jumping jacks a few times a day, and see how 10 squats an hour can add up over time.
20. Stay hydrated
It’s common to forget about staying hydrated, Ward said. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and overindulgent snacking, so don’t forget to drink water throughout the day.
21. Set solid (and simple) goals
It’s best to pick resolutions that are achievable and that can still make a difference, Schneider said. It can be too easy to develop an elaborate and ambitious exercise plan that ends up at the bottom of your long to-do list.
22. Plan family activities
Incorporating fitness activities into a daily lifestyle can be fun for everybody.
So, walk in the park, browse a farmers market, check out fairs and festivals, and participate in charity walks. It’s an easy way to keep moving and create some great family memories, too.
23. Play outdoor games
Organize or join fun but active games like frisbee, soccer or volleyball with family and friends.
24. Adopt a dog
It’s amazing how people who dread a 20-minute walk around the park can grow to love that same walk if their dog joins them.
