For a while now, I’ve been learning to workout at home in fragmented time spurts. It started when the gyms closed due to the pandemic, but because of our family’s health problems, we’ve continued to exercise at home. It’s opened up a new way of exercising for both Rob and I. For the better.

Workout at Home: Let’s Get Physical

Here are a few examples of how working out at home can improve your fitness and health without going to the gym.

1. We can devote more time to exercising. There isn’t any need to get dressed for the gym, pack a gym bag, and drive somewhere.
2. We don’t have to plan for and devote at least 40 minutes (or more like an hour and a half) out of our busy days. We can do push-ups against the counter while brewing coffee. Squats while cleaning out the kitty litter. Lunges while vacuuming!
3. We’ve learned to get creative with our physical skills. Every household chore is an opportunity to flex a muscle or stretch and balance. For me, riding in the car on the way to a doctor’s appointment is plenty of time to stretch out the neck, shoulders, and even feet.
4. Talking on the phone is another big waste of time, especially when on hold for doctor’s and health insurance offices. I’ve learned to use a headset or speaker so I can put my legs up on the desk and stretch. Or I can do a series of shoulder rehab movements. I keep a set of dumbbells on my desk for bicep curls.

Use Your Mind to Create Workouts at Home

The opportunities are endless, you just have to develop the mindset. At the end of the day, i can’t complain about how busy I’ve been and how I couldn’t get to the gym (or clean the house!). So much of our time is wasted if we think about it.

For example, I just lifted my coffee cup to drink. Now that movement of raising the cup to my mouth is similar to a bicep curl, it is a bicep curl!  So I’m going to go make a fresh cup and grab my dumbbells on the counter to get in three sets of 20 while I brew.

I know it sounds a bit silly. But some days are too hectic and I was missing my regular exercise time. Rather than complain, I decided to take control and make time and space to workout at home in between other tasks.

I’m not alone. Over on the AARP website there are videos of Denise Austin, celebrity fitness trainer, demonstrating how to get creative with exercise movements at home.

No Excuses: #1 Strategy for Aging Well

I had to be willing not to use some very valid excuses. I was too upset to think about my own health when Rob was first diagnosed with cancer. The stress was keeping me home. But I knew I couldn’t let myself go if I was to be a help to him. And sometimes a crisis is our teacher.

Don’t let very true and valid reasons become excuses for not keeping fit. As seniors, our lives depend on actively seeking out prevention strategies to stay disease-free. You all know by now that my number one recommendation for aging well is to keep on working out, no matter when or where or how. Where there’s a will there’s a way.