Exercise tips: Tired of stressing over workouts? Try these unique ways to stay active and fit

Best exercises: A brisk 20-30 minute walk with a furry friend can improve cardiovascular health and boost your mood (Image: Canva)

Just thinking about gym equipment or long walks can make you feel exhausted before you even start. But here's the truth: staying active doesn’t have to be difficult or daunting. You can easily incorporate movement into your daily routine with some creative adjustments.

Window shopping workout: Enjoy a leisurely stroll through your local market or mall without making any purchases. Walking around for an hour or two can easily add thousands of steps to your day, boosting your heart health and keeping your muscles active. Plus, window shopping helps distract your mind from focusing on the effort of walking.

Spiritual steps: If you regularly visit a religious site or plan to do so, walk there if it’s within a reasonable distance. Walking to a spiritual or religious place serves as a peaceful, purposeful way to get moving, combining mindfulness with exercise. It allows you to get fresh air and reflect while sneaking in some extra steps.

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Dog days: Walking a pet is a great excuse to get outside and stay active. If you don’t have a pet, offer to help friends or family walk their dogs. Dogs need regular exercise, so walking them benefits both the dog and you. A brisk 20-30 minute walk with a furry friend can improve cardiovascular health and boost your mood.

Groove time: Turn on your favourite playlist and dance around your home. Dancing is not only an enjoyable way to boost your heart rate but also improves coordination, flexibility, and balance. You can do it alone or with friends and family, and it doesn’t feel like a workout when you're moving to songs you love.

Kitchen moves: Cooking doesn’t have to be sedentary. While preparing meals, try including stretches or simple exercises, like twisting your waist while stirring, doing calf raises while waiting for the water to boil, or rolling your shoulders. This keeps your body moving, even in short bursts, and helps you stay active without setting aside extra time.

Step up: Whenever possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Even a few flights of stairs add up quickly, working out your legs, boosting heart health, and burning more calories than you might expect. Over time, this simple change can have a significant impact on your fitness levels.

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Bonus steps: If you use public transportation, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way to your destination. This small adjustment to your commute can easily add extra steps to your day without requiring much effort. It’s an easy, low-impact way to keep moving regularly.

Chores with a twist: Turn household chores into mini workouts by adding intensity to tasks like vacuuming, mopping, or dusting. Speed up your pace, add extra movements like lunges or squats, and make cleaning a more physically demanding task. You’ll get the house clean while also burning calories.

Stretch it out: Set a timer on your phone to remind yourself to stretch every hour, especially if you’re working at a desk or sitting for long periods. Regular stretching helps improve flexibility, relieves muscle tension, and reduces stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and lower back.

Green thumb fitness: Gardening may seem relaxing, but activities like digging, planting, and weeding can burn a surprising number of calories. It involves bending, squatting, lifting, and carrying, which makes it a full-body workout that also allows you to enjoy nature.

Playful fitness: Get active with kids by playing games like tag, hide and seek, or kabbadi. This type of play is fun and engaging, but it also boosts endurance, improves coordination, and burns energy. It’s a fantastic way to stay fit while creating lasting memories with your children.

Scroll and stretch: Even when you're checking your phone, you can add some movement. Instead of sitting or slouching on the couch, use this time to stretch or do some light exercises. You can stand and do calf raises, neck rolls, or even light squats while browsing your apps. This turns otherwise idle phone time into an opportunity to keep your muscles active and your body moving.