When people hear of specific weight loss exercises, they invariably think of long hours in the gym surrounded by leotards, spandex, and muscle freaks on steroids. I can tell you that all of that is completely wrong if that’s what you think of a gym. But if going to a gym scares you and you don’t want to buy free weights to make your own home gym, here are some non-traditional exercises you can do. They won’t prepare you for the Olympics, but they will give you the daily exercise you need and should be getting.
Work in the garden
If you’re lucky like me and own a home that comes with a garden, then you’ve built in daily exercise just waiting for you. Mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes are forms of exercise that will help you lose weight. The best part is that your landscaping will be great!
Walk your dog
I love animals. I have been a dog owner my entire life and couldn’t imagine what life would be like without one. They bring an everlasting loyalty and friendship into your life like no other pet (and some humans) can. But did you also know that they can also add some exercise to your life? They may well in the form of your daily walk. You see that dogs need daily exercise as well as their outdoor travel to do their “business”. Combining your walk with the dog walk is a great way to get some exercise for both of you. When I walk my dog, I start out slow, letting him do “his thing”, and then once I’m done, I pick up the pace and go for a good walk. Try not to walk in high temperatures and always carry water for both of you.
wash your car
Yes, washing your car is a form of exercise. You are moving, stretching, bending and lifting buckets of water. It makes your body move in all different directions and the best part is that when you’re done, your car is clean. Don’t forget to add even more exercise to this tip by doing some interior detailing like vacuuming the floor mats, wiping down the dash, etc.
House cleaning
Let’s face it, you have to clean your house. Unless you’re lazy, you need to do the dishes, vacuum the rugs, and do your laundry. All of these tasks are forms of exercises. If you have a multi-level home like mine, where you have to go up and down steps to do these chores, it will add even more exercise to your daily routine.
So there you have four different ways you can incorporate a non-traditional means of exercise into your daily routine and at the same time do some things you’ve been putting off.
