15 Easy Ways to Squeeze Exercise into Your Day This Summer

Wear Yoga Pants and Comfortable Shoes

If you can wear yoga pants or shorts all day, you’ll be more likely to intersperse household chores, errands, and time with kids with jumping jacks, planks, push-ups, and jogging up and down stairs. 

If you work in an office, you may not be able to sport athletic wear or work up a sweat, but you can still stretch and take quick walks here and there throughout the day (leave the heels at home!) and slip into your workout gear on the weekend! 

Walk Your Dog

About 40 percent of dog owners do not regularly walk their dogs. Lace your sneakers, grab the leash, and go for a stroll with your best friend. It’s a good way to get in some exercise — and Fido will thank you. 

Meet for a Different Kind of Happy Hour

The next time a friend suggests meeting for drinks, suggest getting together for something more active instead. How about playing tennis or golf? Or taking a barre, Pilates, or yoga class together, or going for a walk or a hike? Exercise releases endorphins, which is sure to make you happy indeed. 

Netflix and Lift

While you watch TV, use that time to lift weights (or soup cans). The show will distract you from the exercise while you tone up.

Walk and Talk to Your Family

My 17-year-old-daughter and I recently went to a movie and were too full from our popcorn to sit in a café afterwards, as we’d originally planned. Instead, we ended up walking and window shopping after the movie for nearly an hour. Not only was this fun and energizing, it afforded us the ease of chatting side-by-side, which the Center for Parent and Teen Communication suggests is often an easier way for parents and teens to converse than face-to-face.

Swap the Car Ride for a Bike

For short trips, ride a bike instead of drive. Not only will you squeeze in more exercise, you’ll do something good for the planet as well.

Walking Wednesday

Institute “Walking Wednesdays” over the lunch hour at your work. Grab a quick, healthy lunch and then walk with your colleagues instead of sitting indoors at your desk. 

Get Fit by Gardening

Gardening can increase strength, flexibility, and endurance — and it’s a great activity to do with children, who often feel pride over growing their own food. 

Watch Your Steps

Always park as far away from the entrance of where you're going as you can and take the stairs instead of the elevator. The good news? You don’t need to aim for 10,000 steps. According to a new study, 4,400 steps per day is the lucky number. 

Work Out While You Clean

Make cleaning the house a workout by scrubbing vigorously, vacuuming quickly, squatting when you pick things off the floor, etc. A 150-pound person will burn about 200 calories per hour doing housework — and if you crank up some good music, the chores might actually seem fun!

Have Active Fun with the Kids

Take your kids or grandkids to a park, the beach, or a pool. In the backyard, play catch, or Frisbee, or have a water balloon fight. If they’re not too old to be embarrassed: Dance Party!

Have a “Try Something New” Day

Once a week, do something active you’ve never done before. Complete a new exercise routine on YouTube, explore a state park or trail you’ve never hiked before, or try a new class such as Tai Chi, Barre, SoulCycle, Hot Yoga, or Indoor Climbing. Our brains — and bodies— love novelty.

Strength Train with Groceries

Make grocery shopping a workout by walking to the store instead of driving. Then use the grocery bags as “weights,” and alternate between doing biceps curls, triceps curls, and rows as you walk home.  

Jump in a Lake

Or pool, or ocean... If you’re lucky enough to live near a body of water, make use of it. Swim, canoe, kayak, or march in the water or sand, lifting your legs as high as you can. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

Download Motivating Apps

There are many apps that you can use to get in short workouts here and there throughout the day — at home, in your backyard, or at a park or beach. Here are few highly-rated ones, all of which are free:

• The Johnson & Johnson Official 7-Minute Workout
• Workout for Women: Fitness App
• Daily Workouts - Exercise Fitness Routine Trainer

Kelly Dwyer is a novelist, playwright, and freelance writer who loves having exercised.