One of our patients reported that her boss instituted a 5-minute, 4-times-per-day exercise break at the beginning of the year. At designated times roughly two hours apart, employees that wanted to participate, meet in the office lobby and then proceed to climb down the stairs of their 4-story building (the office is on the 4th floor), walk to the other side of the building and climb up the stairs to the 4th floor, then repeat – 4 times a day. They call themselves the “Heavy Breathers”.

Lately, there has been more conversation about the benefits of high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE/HIIT) like the example described above. It’s the kind of exercise that really gets your heart pumping, your lungs oxygenated and makes you sweat a little. Your body benefits from this – you need to get your blood circulating, especially to your brain.  It also releases endorphins which elevate your mood. In the case of this ad agency example above, it might even help with creativity and camaraderie. Smart boss!

Sometimes sitting on a stationary bike or walking around the block just isn’t going to cut it (although these are also good things to do). You need to add short bursts of exertion to your regimen to burn fat and lose weight.

While the best thing you can do to start exercising is incorporate some basic resistance or weight training at home, there are little things you can do throughout the day to help you begin living a more active lifestyle for little to no cost.

If it’s time to incorporate more exercise and activity in your life (which most of us need), here are some great ways to start:

Choose the stairs. Avoid the elevator. You do your body a lot of good by the simple act of choosing the staircase.

 Park your car as far away from the door as possible. If you’re shopping, park your car at the edge of the parking lot and then walk briskly and with purpose to the building.

Get off your couch. Too much sitting is bad for you. Your muscles atrophy (including that big one – the heart muscle).  If you can’t miss your TV programs, watch them standing up or while using resistance bands at home. If you have a sedentary job, set a timer on your smart phone to get you up out of your chair every hour.  You can send your print jobs to the farthest away printer in your office to get you walking. Or take a walk outside and enjoy nature, but walk briskly to elevate your heart rate.

Break out the Hula Hoop. Hula hoops have come a long way since the late 50s when they were first marketed.  Now they come weighted so you can get a good workout.

Balance Boards. The Simply Fit board that was pitched on Shark Tank has had mostly positive reviews. You can also use this board while watching TV. Click here for more information.

How about a jump rope? Maybe you haven’t done this since you were a kid. Give it a try, it’s a great aerobic exercise.

Try Dancing. If exercise is just not your thing, try dance videos designed to exercise your body (and your mind).  There are a lot of videos on the Internet with music and dance styles for every taste and experience level.

Swimming. If you have access to a swimming pool, swimming is tremendous exercise and easy on the joints. Even if you just hang onto the side of the pool and kick your legs until you’re fatigued, you’re getting your heart pumping and your blood circulating.

Resistance Bands. Any exercise that develops muscle is the best way to burn fat and lose weight long-term. Buy some inexpensive resistance bands and incorporate one of these exercises for 5-10 minutes each day. Vary them up to workout different muscle groups.

Use these tips diligently and regularly, and one day you might find your pants a little looser and your smile a little brighter.