Part One: Adding Strength Training to Everyday Activities

M

y sweet Labrador, Molly, is another child of mine. She has needs that pull at me daily. I adore her and love being with her, but sometimes it feels like another being who needs something from me, and I feel strapped for time. At minimum, she needs a daily walk, two 10 minute ball-throwing sessions and a weekly swim and doggie social hour for her to feel her best and be calm. Most of the time, my husband and I piece this together, but a lot of the time we’re not able to get that all in. As part of my integrated with life fitness plan, I’m looking at how I can also serve my fitness needs with Molly’s. Today I experimented with doing squats and lunges while I threw her the ball. When I bent over to pick up the ball, I did intentional squats. In between throwing her the ball, I would also do a few lunges. Hey, if I did this twice per day, ten squats per ball throwing session, I’d get in twenty per day that’s 140 squats or lunges per week!

I also discovered that by using my son’s foam baseball bat to hit the ball for Molly instead of using the ball thrower I normally use, I made more of an effort, and even made myself sweat a bit. Even these minor changes all add up according to the science done by James A. Levine MD, PhD in his book Move a Little, Loose a Lot.

I’ve also been experimenting with doing abdominal contractions sometimes when I’m driving. Heel lifts also work when I’m waiting at counter in a store. I’ve been doing these things for about a week, and I can already can tell the difference. I feel stronger in my legs from all the squats, and my core feels firmer. Yet, I haven’t gone once to the gym to do a “work out.”  My next step is to find how I can get some upper body strengthening integrated into my day. It’s great to feel the benefits so quickly and to have not had to add any extra time to my day.

If your interested in how to squeeze strength training into your everyday life you may like this article: How I’m Transforming Fitness in My Life.