Contrary to what many people may think, working from home takes a lot of time and a lot of work. I’m sure you’ve heard one or more people say, “They don’t really do anything, they just work from home.”
The truth is, running a home business takes almost all of your time. Therefore, many other important things drop down on your priority list.
Probably one of the first ones of these important things to drop is fitness and health. You never really have time for anything. When you have a never-ending to-do list, a house that needs to be cleaned and family and/or friends who demand a lot of attention, it’s understandable that exercise and fitness can be forgotten. But, it shouldn’t be so.
Working from home comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to your health and fitness. The abundance of enticing snacks and junk foods in the kitchen, the lack of social stimulation and the temptation to work in the wrong or not-so right position, like in bed or on the couch, can all sabotage an otherwise virtuous worker’s best health intentions.
You want to get fit, but your schedule has been too manic for you to get away. That leaves you with only one option-working out at home. But can you really get a great workout without leaving the house? Absolutely, yes!
You don’t need much effort or money to design an effective workout program for yourself at home. Things like fit balls, dumbbells, exercise bands or tubing, and push-up bars are an inexpensive way to create a routine that works all the major muscle groups.
Exercise and workouts offers so many important benefits that you should always make it part of your weekly routine even if you are a home business person.
Of course, you are aware that exercise can help you stay slim and fit. But, do you also know that daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better – two things that are especially beneficial to busy at-home workers and business owners like you.
Fitness helps keep you and your heart healthy and it has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression.
Workout And Exercises For Home Business Persons
As stated earlier, since you feel you might not be able to make it to the gym for workouts due to your precious home business, there are workouts you can do in the comfort of your home or your compound.
You can still be healthy and fit despite your extremely busy schedule.
The tip is to schedule time for working out. When you work at home it’s so easy to work around the clock, so to avoid this, simply think of yourself as having a traditional “office job”.
In most “office jobs” out there, when you close for the day, you leave work behind and concentrate on personal things. Even though going home for you as a home business executive may simply be walking down the hall, you need to set boundaries in order to find time for you.
Below are exercises and workouts that are ideal for persons who work at home.
A combination of cardio, strengthening, and toning exercises are sure to make you break a sweat and get those endorphins going no matter where you are.
Bodyweight Squat
To perform the bodyweight squat, stand as tall as you can with your feet spread slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Then hold your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder level, so that your arms parallel to the floor.
Now, keep your torso as upright as you can for the entire movement, with your lower back slightly arched. Brace your abs, and lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position. That makes one repetition. Do 15 to 20 reps.
Incline Push-up
To perform this exercise, set your body in a push-up position, but place your hands on a raised surface—such as a box, bench, or one of the steps of your stairs—instead of using the floor.
Make sure your body is forming a straight line from your ankles to your head. Keeping your body rigid, lower your body until your upper arms dip below your elbows.
Pause for a few seconds, then go back to the starting position as quickly as possible. (Note that the higher the surface on which your hands are placed, the easier the exercise becomes—you can even lean against a wall if you need to.)
If you think the incline push-up is too easy, do it the old-fashioned way, with your hands on the floor. Do 12 to 15 repetitions.
Hip Raise
To do the hip raise, lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Continue by placing your arms out to your sides at a 45-degree angle with your palms facing up. Now try to make your tummy as skinny as possible and hold it that way—this gives you a tight core—while breathing normally. That’s the starting position.
Still keeping your core tight, squeeze your glutes and raise your hips so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause for five seconds—squeezing your glutes tightly the entire time—then lower your body back to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.
Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup
Get into a pike position — arms straight and legs straight with your hips high in the air — with your feet on a sturdy elevated surface like a box. Now lower yourself slowly and drive back up. Rest for 60 seconds. Do 12 repetitions.
Alternating Split Squat Jump
To do this work out, start in a split stance. Squat down and explode into the air, switching legs, and landing in the opposite stance. Alternate quickly and jump as high as you can each time you do. Rest for 60 seconds and do 12 reps for each leg.
Spiderman Crawl
Start this exercise in a pushup position. Crawl forward by taking a large step with your right arm and left leg at the same time, go down low to the ground and swing your left knee so that it almost touches your right elbow.
Alternate sides and keep your body low to the ground. To increase the intensity of the workout, crawl backwards. Do 10 reps.
Walking
Walking is arguably the simplest way to work out. You can do it almost anywhere, and it is easy to get started. Just put one foot in front of the other. If you’re looking to invest in a treadmill, the professionals at Trusted Treadmill provide guides and reviews of various companies that offer quality products.
Walking will make your heart get stronger, lower your blood pressure, and strengthen your bones.
Walking also eases stress, helps you sleep better, and can boost your outlook on life. You can walk at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more on most days. You can choose to do it alone or with a friend. You could also try a walking club or recruit your family for an after-dinner walk. All you need is a pair of good walking shoes.
Don’t forget walking can help you drop pounds.
Jogging
As you start jogging, you will probably experience quick weight loss depending on how much you jog. Your muscles will become stronger. You will notice more muscle definition. Muscles require energy; they get that energy from calories.
You would probably drop a couple of dress sizes without any further change in your weight at this point. This is because muscle weight is more than that of fat. Therefore, even though you are losing that excess fat, your muscles are increasing.
Conclusion
Being a home business executive should not stop you from being fit and healthy. Everyone deserves to be healthy.
Exercising helps you to be fit and very active and this would even improve your business. So stop complaining about the busy schedule; find some time to exercise your body and beat up the stress.
Look young, look fit, look healthy and make your money.
