10 fitness hacks to boost your incidental exercise

Posted on 8 September, 2016

“Incidental exercise” – I like the sound of it.

Much like the exercise equivalent of a “snaccident” (where you ‘accidentally’ eat donuts, chocolate and pizza… or all three), incidental exercise takes little effort and is easily incorporated into your day without necessarily being a scheduled or designated workout.

Here are some sneaky ways to increase how much you move during the day.

Track it

Much like writing down your goals or keeping a food diary, tracking your activity during the day can really help you to not only be aware of how active you are, but also encourage you to move more.

Why not sign up for Steptember? It’s not too late to sign up. You’ll be doing yourself a favour by getting active, raising money for cerebral palsy and they’ll even send you a pedometer with your registration.

An app on your phone like Pacer or even a Fitbit are also great ways to track your step. Set yourself a challenge – 10,000 daily steps is a common one – and get walking!

Start your day with a walk to get your coffee

This is one of my favourite ways to start my day and get in a little extra exercise – not to mention my morning caffeine fix. If you’re not a coffee drinker grab a green or herbal tea, the point is that you’re getting outside and getting some exercise.

Rewarding yourself with a coffee or beverage provides a little extra motivation. Why not take a friend, partner or the whole family along for some company?

Incorporate walking into your commute

On the two or three days I work in an office during the week, I’ve started to working to work. I save money on parking, get in some extra exercise and get to listen to my audiobooks on my way into work. It means that I start my day in the office feeling inspired and energised.

I’m lucky that I live less than two kilometres from work but if you drive into work you could just as easily park your car a little further away to increase the walk to the office, or if you catch public transport, get off a stop or two early.

Drink up 

When I spend my day at the desk, I like to drink as much water as I can for two reasons – to stay hydrated but also because it gets me up and moving. Not only to refill my water bottle but also because it results in multiple trips to the loo – gross perhaps, but true. You’d be surprised at how much it can increase the number of steps you take over the course of a day.

Sit up straight

Mum was right – sitting up straight and having good posture is great for your spine, but you also end up using your abdominal muscles more over the seven or eight hours that you might be sitting at your desk, which can only be a good thing!

Not to mention, it’s a good habit to get into and often translates to better form in the gym, as good posture becomes your default position meaning you’re less likely to round your shoulders or hunch.

Fiddle

As a wriggle worm myself, I was relieved to hear that fiddling over the course of the day can have a huge impact on the energy that you expend.

It makes sense when you think about it – jiggling your legs, tapping and general fiddling are all little movements but they’re movements nonetheless, and over the course of hours, days and weeks add up. So fiddle away!

Take the stairs

This advice is repeated over and over and over again, because it’s very effective! Stairs are a great way to engage your glutes for those booty gains, and elevate your heart rate. Take the stairs every opportunity you get and reap the benefits.

Go shopping

I am wholeheartedly endorsing you to go shopping. Think about the last time you went shopping: I bet you spent hours walking around without even giving it a second thought.

If you’re tight funds, window shopping is just as effective. Better yet, why not head to the markets and stock up on fresh produce? Ticking the healthy food and exercise boxes in one fell swoop!

Make your social life active

Next time you’re catching up with friends or family, suggest a walk around the lake, hike, yoga class or any activity that gets you moving. It won’t end up feeling like a sweat sesh because you’re socialising at the same time.

Best of all, it makes exercise a habit. Kate Freeman and I catch up for a walk up Mount Ainslie, Majura or Black Mountain every weekend and it’s honestly one of the highlights of my week. It’s a great way to get amongst nature and get your heart pumping – although it’s the conversation I look forward to the most.

Clean the house

Some people love cleaning. I personally despise it but unfortunately it still needs to be done, and it’s actually quite a workout! Between vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing the shower screens and mirrors etc., you’re using lots of different muscles in your body. Make it even more active by blasting some great music and having a dance, or adding in exercises like squats or wall sits.

Whether you’re a gym bunny or simply looking to move more, these 10 easy ways to increase your incidental exercise can help to expend some extra energy and get you feeling good in no time!