We know we must exercise to stay fit. And we like how we feel when we exercise—the endorphins high is something to relish. But work and chores keep us busy. We seldom have the time for a full-fledged workout. What this means is we often go days on end without getting a walk in or running on the treadmill. The proverbial tomorrow becomes the day we will get back on the fitness bandwagon.

However, you don’t have to dedicate a fixed chunk of time to do a workout and still manage to get your heart rate up and burn some calories. Turns out, accumulated exercise over the course of the day is as effective as one continuous session. Studies show you don’t have to get all your exercise at once for it to make a big difference in your life. Moving throughout the day is just as effective. A short, fast high-intensity workout in as little as seven minutes can offer the same benefits as a long run or an hour lifting weights. Also, bite-size workouts throughout the day can make it easier to adhere to an exercise program.

 Here, we are sharing some simple ideas to help you incorporate some cardio into your daily life no matter how busy you are.

 Take the stairs

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator is one of the most common yet overlooked fitness advice. It’s the easiest way to get your heart rate and step count up. Whenever you have some free time, consider going up and down a flight of stairs. Repeat whenever you can. Run up a flight of stairs during your regular 10-minute coffee break at work. Do it when you are bored sitting at your desk and need to stretch your legs a little.

Do a YouTube workout

As soon as you get out of bed, after you have gone to the bathroom, do a quick YouTube workout. There are many trainers who offer 10-minute workouts on their channels. There are also free apps that guide you through short sessions. The good thing about YouTube workouts is that it will never get boring. You can choose a different one, targeting different areas of your body, every other day.

 Squats and lunges

Perhaps one of the easiest but effective exercises, squats and lunges get your heart rate pumping while strengthening your core and quadriceps. Do a few at a time, say a set of 20 to 25. You can do this when you are at work or going about your chores. All it takes is a few minutes. Aim to get in at least a 100 squats and lunges to start with. You can do this when you wake up, followed by before you head to work, at lunch break, and after you come back home.

Try Tabata

Tabata is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) developed by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. It involves performing an exercise at maximum intensity for 20 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest period. This is repeated for a total of eight rounds, resulting in a four-minute workout. The key to Tabata is to push yourself to the maximum effort during the 20-second work periods, aiming to perform as many reps as possible before resting. You will find lots of information and exercise routines online.

Use your waiting time

We spend a large part of our day waiting for little things, like for the kettle to boil, for someone to answer the phone, for the microwave to ding, or for the dog to finish his business so that you can clean up after him. Use these little spurts of time to get some crunches in, jog on spot, or skip. It’s a great way of staying active without committing any time especially for it. 

Walk and talk

Whenever you have to talk to someone on the phone, make it a point to do it standing up, or while walking. Don’t sit and talk. Instead, get up from your seat, walk in the garden or the porch or even the corridor of the building you are in. You can easily clock a few thousand steps every day this way.