Simple Tricks to Sneak Exercise into Your Daily Routine

Most of you know that I’ve been on a Momma Makeover Mission this year. I’ve made a lot of improvements, but still have a long way to go to hit all of my goals. Nutrisystem has been helping me lose some of that old baby weight {toddler weight? She’s no baby anymore…} – and seeing the number on the scale drop a bit has helped motivate me to get more active. I’ve never been the type to do an actual “work out,” and I’ve never been to the gym. But, I am big on multi-tasking, and on finding Smart Solutions for my busy mom challenges. Keep reading to learn my tips for sneaking more exercise into your busy day…

From Workout to Out and About…

I used to dress cute. Seriously, I did. But after switching from working in fashion merchandising to working at home, I started dressing more casually. Add in the stress of keeping up with housework all day, and a crazy wild toddler – and I’m lucky to have a clean shirt on some days. That was part of why I started my Momma Makeover Mission – to snap out of that frump-mom slump. I love these new pieces from Russell Athletics – they’re uber comfy, have a great Dri-Power moisture wicking technology that keeps you cool even when the temperature is sky high, and can easily be jazzed up a little to head out of the house to run errands. Love it! Shown above are my Dry-Power 360 Round-Neck Tee in Shockwave Green – {awesome color for summer!} – and my new Semi-Fit Performance Capri. Totally cute, right? The pants even have this sweet little zippered pocket along the back waistband, where you could add a bit of cash, keys, and lip gloss when you head out for a walk or day at the park. They’re comfy enough for my daily exercise – but with a cute bag, scarf, and sandals, it’s cute enough for going out, too.

How to Sneak Exercise into Your Daily Routine

You just won’t add any extra exercise into your day unless you’re wearing clothing that moves. Plus – if you have kids, you’re doing a ton of running – {do NOT dig in the houseplants with your new Dora shovel!}, lifting – {yes, of course I’ll pick you up for the 111th time so that you can yell that you want down}, and squats – {who else loves picking up Legos?}. Your clothes need to be ready to move with you – and you’ll find so many great women’s workout gear options at Russell Athletic. Now that you know where to get the gear, let me share my tips and tricks:

Morning Dishes: Squat while you load the dishwasher. Yes, you look funny. But the kids need a good giggle in the a.m. anyway.
Vacuuming: I do this daily. One, because I have a toddler, so I must watch my floors like a hawk, always looking for danger – coins, tiny heads ripped from action figures, and gross things the dog drags in. Two, because it’s SUPER great exercise. Turn on some tunes, and vacuum FAST. Do lunges while you go. You will totally feel the burn in your glutes and your arms.
Laundry: Lift each basket filled with perfectly folded laundry over your head in reps of 10. Yeeeaaaahhhh – pretend that you’re Arnold Schwarzenegger, so amazingly strong.
Dinner time: I do all kinds of exercises while I cook. Waiting for veggies to steam? Arm circles. {My nephew caught me doing this once, and asked if I was trying to fly. He still wonders about it…} If I have to grab the step ladder to get a specialty pot – I do a quick step workout, up-down, up-down. You can do leg lifts, squats, even run laps around the kitchen island. Whatever works for ya.

See how easy it is? Once you’ve got some super smart workout clothes that have innovative technology to keep you cool – and that are cute enough to wear out and about when you run errands too – you’ll be ready to start adding tons of sneaky new exercise into your daily routines. You’ll be squatting while brushing your teeth, washing your windows with big arm circles – Karate Kid style. And soon enough, you’ll find new muscles in those arms, and be surprised by pants that have grown too big! {When they do, stop by Russell Athletics online to pick up a new pair – scroll to the bottom to sign up for special savings offers. You will not be disappointed!

How do YOU sneak exercise into YOUr daily routine? Share in the comments!

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Russell Athletics and received a product sample to facilitate my review.}