• Effortless Exercise Hacks

    Improve your life by making simple adjustments to your day

  • Effortless Excercise Hacks - Hills Osteopaths

    Hills Osteopaths. Osteopathy for a more positive you.

    Why Effortless Exercise Hacks ?

    At Hills Osteopaths we want to ensure everyone has the chance to move more and experience the physical and mental health benefits of an active life. To achieve this we have put together this guide to help inform and educate those short of time or wanting to start to positively approach excercise in their lives.

     

    Exercise is undoubtedly good for us — research shows that it can boost our mood, our memory, and our physical health. The only downside? It takes up time that is already scarce, thanks to other important priorities like work, parenting, friendships, and hobbies.

    The most common reasons that people neglect exercise are work conflicts and fatigue. After a jam-packed day, sinking into the couch to binge your favorite TV show can be a whole lot more tempting than picking up heavy weights.

     

    For those of us without much time but a desire to experience all of the glorious benefits of exercise, do read this page for tips how to fit
    workouts into a busy schedule, plus some realistic exercises to try.

  • An Eight Step Approach Towards Making a Difference

    Hills Osteopaths understand that many people's lives are short on time, so we have prepared an easy read eight step plan, to help you to both mentally and physically consider how to approach and factor excercise into your busy schedule.

    1. Do What You Enjoy

    Workout options are endless: cycling, yoga, strengthtraining, boxing, running, swimming, group dance classes, climbing etc,. Focus on what motivates you to exercise and finding movement that you enjoy - and
    some of these activities could double as quality time with friends or family too.

     

    When you enjoy the exercise, your brain will release more dopamine, a neurotransmitter related to pleasure and motivation. On the other hand, if you're forcing yourself to do something you hate just because it’s good for you, your body is going to release the stress hormone [cortisol] and it's not going to be an enjoyable experience. The stress will work against our motivation.

    2. Get Organized

    If we prioritize exercise, then we’ll be able to find thetime. Most people have some wiggle room in their schedule, if they look at it with a critical enough eye.

     

    Do you spend a half hour scrolling in bed every morning? Why not opt for an at-home workout for a different dopamine rush. Can you wake up an hour earlier and still get enough sleep? Start inching towards an earlier alarm by 10 minutes a day.

     

    See these related tips in our Active Employee Toolkit too:

    3. Start Small

    Diving into a new routine too hard, too fast is a sure-fireway to burn out, especially if the rest of your life is already overwhelming, so experiment with short and effective workouts.

     

    Long gone are the days where you need a full hour to get an effective
    workout, the key is just to move your body. Starting with just 10 or 15 minutes a day at first. After that, you can start adding more intensity to your workout or increasing the time.

    4. Find Times That Work

    Are you a morning person or night owl? Playing to your natural tendencies and finding the best time to exercise will help you develop
    a routine around it.

     

    Consider when you have the most energy, but also what your schedule allows—if you have a lot of energy in the afternoon but you’re loaded
    down with meetings, that may not be your ideal window.

    5. Make a Schedule

    Planning out your workouts for the week is the best way to hold yourself accountable. You can include them on your calendar as helpful reminders, or just write out your intentions for the next week on a note app or in a journal every Sunday.

     

    Keep in mind that life happens and you won’t always be able to stick to schedule, but it can provide much needed structure and accountability as you move through your busy week.

    6. 'Stack' on Existing Habits

    The “habit stacking” technique will be familiar to readers of James Clear’s Atomic Habits. The idea is to link exercise to an existing part of your routine, so that the new habit is anchored onto one that you have already established. e.g., do some squats as your morning coffee brews, stretch while you’re watching TV, or change into your athletic attire as soon as you take off your work clothes. Simple actions, like packing your gym clothes and leaving them in the car, can make the difference between working out or going straight home.

    7. Redefine workout

    You don’t need to get a full hour at the gym to reap the benefits of exercise - if you’re really pressed for time, it can help to expand your definition of a workout. Instead of having an all-or-nothing attitude, you
    can reframe your approach to get movement each day while keeping it diversified. This can look like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, doing calf raises or squats while on a call or seated yoga in between meetings, adding a walk to your lunch break, or putting on ankle weights on the way to and from the subway.

     

    Sprinkling in movement throughout the day is less intimidating than fitting it into a busy schedule, and you’ll also be building your baseline of
    fitness for when you do make it to the gym.

    8 Offer flexible working hours

    All of our lifestyle factors play out in a delicate balance with each other - exercise, sleep, and diet in particular are interlinked. If you work on one factor, you're likely to improve the others. So if it's easier for you to improve your sleep first, work on your sleep schedule. That will help with improving your diet and your exercise. The effects will trickle down.
    For example, more energy from a better sleep schedule or diet may increase your motivation to exercise. It’s really a package of improving your lifestyle.

     

    So now you've read the eight steps, let's look below at some non-exercise physical activity options ...

  • Redefining your workout with NEAT !  (non-exercise activity thermogenesis)

    In a perfect world, we’d all have an hour to spare every day to go to the gym. But the reality is you can’t even get enough hours to sleep, let alone hit the gym. Whether it’s a walk to work or a cycle to the shop, moving more seems so much easier when the weather improves - but waiting for good weather is really an excuse !

    Excercise is all about CHOICE - ultimately a lack of daily activity will eventually have some effect on your health and fitness. So, what’s the answer ... NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis, also referred to as NEPA, or non-exercise physical activity !
     

    It’s not a replacement for a normal exercise routine, but simply a matter of making a few tweaks to your daily schedule . IT SIMPLY MEANS MOVING MORE ... It doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated - but includes the calories expended outside of exercise, eating and sleeping which boosts blood flow around the body and a helps create a more positive state of mind.

     

    There are many NEAT ativities that we already do, but may not realize its beneficial effect. Simple tasks such as playing with your kids, doing yard or garden work, grocery shopping, walking the dog,

    cleaning the house, raking leaves, physical labor, climbing stairs or even fidgeting helps expend additional calories.

     

    Move more - become aware of when you are not - and add in a simple movement or action !

     

    Read our daily quick fitness fixes

  • If you would like to discover how Hills Osteopaths can help you, or improve your occupational health at work (we provide osteopathy services for business workforces too) do get in touch.

  • Quick Fitness Fixes

    Select one suggestion a day and stick with it. After a week add another and so on.

    Consistency is key, see where it takes you!

    Monday

    • Set step targets on your phone or watch.
      Having a visual reference for your daily steps can be a great way to boost your awareness of daily movement.
    • Invest in a stand-up desk to be more active throughout the day.
      Not only is this better for posture but it will also allow you to move more whilst performing admin tasks.
    • Ditch the car where possible and walk or cycle instead.
      This may mean an earlier wake-up time but your body will appreciate the extra stimulation. Even if it’s not for work, anything within a mile radius could (and should) be travelled to on foot.
    • Park the car further away.
      Driving to work your only choice? Then park further away from the office so that you can take those important steps from car to desk.

    Tuesday

    • Introduce a daily stretching routine to your schedule
      Although this doesn’t burn a significant amount of calories, it will improve your mobility for a more effective workout later on, and certain moves can even challenge your core.
    • Carry a resistance band. 
      Bring a resistance band with you on long trips or to work, then perform resistance exercises when you get a spare 10 minutes.
    • Join a lunchtime fitness or yoga class near your office
      This will up your feeling of accountability to move and add structure to your weekly routine.
    • Exercise with a friend
      Whether it’s at the gym or on a lunchtime walk around the park. Knowing someone is expecting you means you’ll be more likely to turn up, plus it also introduces a competitive element that could push you harder.

    Wednesday

    • Limit your use of lifts and elevators 
      Have to use the lift to get to your office? Get out two or three levels lower and take the stairs for the remainder of the distance.
    • Walk to get lunch instead of ordering
      Food will take 15-to-20 minutes, minimum, to turn up, so why not walk to collect your lunch, instead? You’ll save money on delivery fees and increase your calorie expenditure.
    • Increase your walking speed to be more active.
      For example, a 150lb woman walking slowly at 2mph burns approximately 72 calories per half hour. If she picks up the pace to 3.5mph (a moderately brisk pace), she burns 136 calories for the same time.
    • Learn to skip
      Not only is skipping a great activity the whole family can do but, when you jump repeatedly, your body burns 800-1,000 calories an hour (compared to 200-300 calories burned per hour while walking).

    Thursday

    • Create a fitness social group
      Create a group on your iWatch (or a similar app) and monitor each others’ calorie expenditure. Compete for the best weekly output. This is a great way to make calorie expenditure fun, pushing yourself in those moments where you would usually opt for the sofa instead.
    • Take up a new physical skill e.g., Tai Chi, cycling, golf or tennis Adding an element of skill acquisition is a great way to shift your focus away from how difficult the movement actually is, making it more fun and increasing the likelihood of continuing.
    • Focus on completing weekly gardening tasks
      Gardening burns around 300 calories per hour, making it a great moderate-intensity exercise option.
    • Set movement reminders on your watch/phone to be more active
      A day can quickly become cluttered with tasks, but your movement is still important. Setting reminders is a great way to stay on top of your movement goals. Don’t miss out on doing the tasks that will improve your wellbeing, too.

    Friday

    • Grab coffee on-the-go to be more active
      Catching up with friends? Take a walk with them whilst grabbing a coffee instead of sitting down. Maintain a moderate walking pace and you’ll burn roughly five calories per minute whilst still being able to hold a conversation normally. It doesn’t just have to be a walk-and-talk, however; head to a museum together, play a game of golf without the buggy or explore your closest city.
    • Set a daily ‘push-up, squat and crunch’ goal. 
      There’s no equipment needed and it’s a great way to kickstart your day with some basic movement patterns. I recommend doing this after your morning stretches, increasing the rep count from week to week:
      - 1st week: 20 reps
      - 2nd week: 30 reps
      - 3rd week: 40 reps
    • Walk and talk whilst on phone calls 
      Fancy a WhatsApp with a good friend? Thirty minutes of walking will fly by!
    • Divide your time efficiently to be more active
      If you struggle to find a spare 45 minutes to work out, split your workout into three 15-minute blocks. For example, do 15 minutes of cardio in the morning, 15 minutes of cardio after lunch, and 15 minutes of cardio in the evening.

    Reflect on how you feel

    The truth is you don’t have to spend a whole lot of time in the gym to stay fit and healthy.

     

    If you incorporate exercise into everyday activities you can get the
    same health benefits—you just have to be intentional about how you move and be willing to think outside the box.

     

    See a few more bonus exercises 

     

    Last but not least, remember to go at your own pace and listen to your body. If you experience any pain or discomfort, stop or modify the exercises. Don’t let these setbacks discourage you. Focus on being consistent rather than how much you can accomplish in a day.

     

    If you have a work or sports related injury that is stopping you from
    excercising do get in touch. But also even if you haven’t exercised in a
    long time and would like to start an exercise regime, why not book an
    appointment with Hills Osteopaths and see how we may be able to help you

     

     

  • Some Bonus Exercises to Sneak into Your Day

    A few bonus exercises to sneak into your day that don't require any equipment.

    Morning / Evening

    Brush Your Teeth - Do the Horse Stance 

     

    Here's a mini (but powerful) martial arts exercise you can do while brushing your teeth. The Horse Stance resembles the posture you make when you’re riding a horse—a wide squat. Todo a proper Horse Stance:

    • Stand with your feet wide apart (past your shoulders) keep your toes pointing forward or on a slight outward angle.
    • Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
    • Try to keep yourself steady in this position for as long as you can while brushing your teeth.

    Don’t worry if you can’t squat low enough or long enough at first start. Do what you’re comfortable with and you will improve.

    Travelling to/from work

    Tighten Your Abs While You Sit in Traffic

     

    Traffic is such a time-waster, isn’t it? Try this simple ab workout next time you’re sitting in traffic:

    • Inhale for 3 seconds and slowly expand your tummy outward until you have a belly full of air.
    • Then exhale for 3 seconds and tuck your tummy inward towards your spine.
    • Hold for 3 seconds more while your belly is fully contracted.
    • Repeat 10-15 times.

    This workout is not only effective for toning your core muscles, it’s also a great stress-reliever. Compared to other ab workouts, this one feels like a breeze!

    When in a queue

    Calf Raises While You Wait in Line 

     

    You can do the next simple exercise while you wait in line at the bus stop, the grocery store, or the coffee shop:

    • Start with your feet flat on the ground, slightly apart.
    • Raise both feet slowly until you’re standing on your toes.
    • Hold this position for 3-5 seconds.
    • Lower your feet and repeat the above steps 10-15 times.

    This will not only tone and define your calves, it can also improve your balance and give you greater ankle stability. Remember to go slow and give those calves a good stretch when you’re done.

  • Book an appointment

    Osteopathy is suitable for assisting in the treatment of a range of sports, pain management, paediatric and occupation health related issues.

     

    Contact us today for an informed consultation

    Practice details

    Hills Osteopaths is located at :
    1A / 10-12 Old Castle Hill Road. Castle Hill. Sydney. NSW 2154

    Email : osteojulian@gmail.com
    Or click the button to be taken to our secure contact form

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