It’s easy to think that if you’re active throughout the day, you don’t need a regular exercise routine. Maybe you walk or bike to work, have a physically demanding job, or always take the stairs instead of the elevator. But even if you’re already active, having a consistent exercise routine is important to make sure your whole body is getting the workout it needs.

Quick takes

• Balanced Fitness: Daily activities might not exercise all parts of your body evenly, potentially leading to strength imbalances and increased injury risk.
• Consistency Matters: A regular exercise routine keeps fitness at the forefront of your mind, ensuring you stay active even if your daily routine changes.
• Simple Start: Even a 15-minute routine three days a week can make a significant difference in your fitness and health. Choose activities you enjoy, set realistic goals, and mix up your exercises to keep things interesting.

Balancing your body

Daily activities can give you a good workout, but they might not exercise every part of your body evenly. For example, walking or biking to work mainly strengthens your legs, but it might not do much for your arms or core muscles. This can lead to a strength imbalance, where some muscles are stronger than others. Imbalances can increase the risk of injury, especially if you suddenly need to use a weaker part of your body for something strenuous.

Girl Friday says…

We often use the muscles in the front of our body more. For example, when we climb stairs, we use our thigh muscles, and when we lift things, we use our arm muscles first. It’s also common to favor the muscles on our dominant side. So, if you are right-handed, you tend to use the right side more than the left, or vice versa. To keep your body balanced, it’s important to work on the less dominant side a bit more to even out the muscle groups. Your regular exercise routine makes sure most of the muscles in your body, from both sides, get some activity consistently.

I thought about a couple examples from my own life to share with you. Actually, the skating example is what inspired this post in the first place.

Walking is not enough for great-looking legs

I try to walk a decent amount each day, whether it’s for a bit of walking meditation or just to get to the food co-op down the street. Sometimes, I walk so much that I figure I can just skip my exercise routine. Yet, once I get back to doing lunges and squats for a couple of days, my glutes feel sore again.

These are all reminders that while walking is fantastic, it doesn’t engage all the muscles needed to keep my legs looking great and feeling primed for anything. It’s crucial to mix in exercises that target those neglected areas to maintain balanced fitness.

Intense skating leaves my chest needing pumped up

Beautiful weather calls me to rollerblade every chance I get. Rollerblading is such a fun and intense workout for me—it leaves me feeling hungry, tired, and with that exhilarating “runner’s high” people talk about.

I’ve come to realize that if skating is my main form of exercise for too long, my chest muscles start to lose a bit of their solid definition. And I do love my pecs! That’s a gentle reminder for me to get back to my simple 15-minute well-rounded exercise routine, which I usually do at least three days a week. It’s essential for keeping every part of my body in good shape, even when I’m spending a lot of time doing only one activity like skating.

Keeping fitness in focus

When you have a regular exercise habit, physical fitness is always on your mind. You’re more likely to keep up with it, even if your daily routine changes. Imagine you switch to a less physically demanding job or have to start driving to work because of bad weather. Without a regular exercise routine, you might find yourself becoming less active and losing fitness over time. A habit of exercising regularly ensures you stay fit no matter what.

Practical tips for starting

Starting an exercise routine doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Even a 15-minute routine three days a week can make a big difference. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Choose activities you enjoy: Whether it’s jogging, yoga, swimming, or dancing, pick something that you like doing.
• Set realistic goals: Start small and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.
• Make it a habit: Schedule your exercise sessions at the same time each week, so they become a regular part of your routine.
• Mix it up: Include a variety of exercises to work different parts of your body and keep things interesting.

More stuff from other places

• 7 Reasons to Exercise Even If You Have a Physical Job
• Expert tips for maintaining a consistent workout routine
• Do you need to exercise if you have a physical job?

Let’s wrap it up…

Even if you’re active during the day, a regular exercise routine is crucial for balanced fitness and mental well-being. It ensures that you stay healthy and fit, no matter how your daily routine might change. So, find something you love, set those goals, and make exercise a part of your life. Your body and mind will thank you!

Take care, and stay active!

Warmly, Girl Friday