Sneak in some exercise
routine to wake up your lower body by squatting while you brush your teeth. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up, bend your knees and push your hips back until the back of your thighs are parallel with the floor. Pause so you’re not using momentum to push back up. Then, drive through your heels and press back up to standing.
Toothbrush rolls: Foot massage improves circulation, decreases stress and releases endorphins, all of which promotes better sleep. Use your before-bed brush to roll out the feet. Place a tennis or similar ball under the ball of your foot. Put as much weight on it as you can tolerate, and roll the ball back and forth the length of your foot several times. Repeat with the other foot.
Walk while you talk: Take that work call outside for a walk. Start by asking if it’s OK to walk while you talk, and let them know they may hear some background noise. Be sure to use earbuds or headphones. Then pick up the pace as much as you can without huffing and puffing while you talk. If you can, aim for a speed of 3 mph (or a 20minute mile). Lastly, remember that not every meeting is walk-and-talk appropriate.
When you can’t slip outside for a walking meeting, turn off the video and sneak in a short desk workout or stretch session. Again, consider whether it would be appropriate for you to do so.
Trash can taps: Stand in front of a small garbage can and shift your balance to one foot and then tap the edge of the can with the other. Repeat. Speed up to make it more intense.
Triceps dips: Scoot to the edge of your chair (make sure it’s stationary).
Use your binge-watching TV time to your advantage. Instead of skipping the closing credits, recap and opening credits, rotate through 10 reps of these couch moves until the show returns.
Couch climbers: Face the sofa and place your hands on the seat at shoulder width and step back to create a straight line with your body. Engage your abs, squeeze your glute muscles and push the heels back. Hold this plank position for 10 seconds. Then draw one knee and then the other to your chest as if you were running. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Hip thrusts: Start in an elevated bridge position with your upper back resting on the seat of the couch, feet on the floor and knees bent. Interlace your hands behind your head, hinge at the hips to lower your bottom to the ground and squeeze the glute muscles to lift back up to starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Decline push-up: Come into a high plank position with your feet on the edge of the sofa and your hands on the floor at shoulder width. Lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows out to the side. Push up to the starting position. This is an advanced push-up variation so do as many as you can without compromising your form.