Eight Ways to Get Moving Every Day

A high-priced gym membership is not required to lose weight and burn calories. Try some of these easy daily activities to stay active and watch the pounds fall off.

You probably spend a lot of time sitting, whether in your car, at your desk, or on the couch, like the majority of Americans. Studies have shown that sitting for an excessive amount of time can increase your risk of breast and colon cancer, even if you balance your time in a chair with trips to the gym. Another recent study found that spending too much time in front of the television could actually cost you years of life.

Fortunately, increasing movement can easily mitigate the negative effects of sitting. The waist circumference, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels of sedentary children all improved when they participated in moderate-to-intense physical activity, according to a study that appeared in the February issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. It is never too late to change your lifestyle, and studies have shown that being physically active can reduce your risk of breast cancer and colon cancer by 25% and 35%, respectively, in adults.

Here are eight easy ways to incorporate more physical activity into your day if you want to improve your health and lose weight without going to the gym or investing in expensive equipment. You'll be glad you did.

Walk More

Walking is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to stay active without going to the gym. You only need to walk faster and for longer periods of time to burn calories. Use a pedometer to keep track of how much you walk, and gradually work up to 10,000 steps per day for the best results. Debra Gray, a fitness expert and model in Omaha, Nebraska, asserts, "It might not just be more that’s better, but the intensity and variety of your walking." "It might not just be more that’s better, but the intensity and variety of your walking." "It might not just be more that’s better, but the intensity and variety of your walking." Try indoor walking at a nearby mall or using a step-exercise video at home if you can't walk outside where you live.

Depending on your weight and the intensity of your workout, brisk walking can burn more than 200 calories in 30 minutes, according to Everyday Health's food and exercise journal, My Calorie Counter.

Stand Up at Work

Many of us spend long periods of time sitting at work, which prevents us from burning hundreds or even thousands of calories each day. That might change with the help of a standing desk. According to Rich Gaspari, a personal trainer and owner of Gaspari Nutrition, standing will burn more calories because it puts more stress on the body than sitting. Leg strength and endurance can be improved by standing for the entire workday. A small shift, like standing instead of sitting, can make a big difference. At least once an hour, take a five-minute break to do something active if your workplace is not conducive to standing up.

According to experts, standing burns 50% more calories than sitting does. As a result, standing up can help a 155-pound person burn 50 more calories per hour.

Fidget While You Work

According to Amanda Russell, a personal trainer in New York, "there are other ways to incorporate more activity into your workday" if a stand-up desk is not feasible at your workplace. Use an exercise ball in place of your chair at work. You are forced to stabilize your abs by sitting on it. Or, every couple of hours, take a break and walk a few flights of stairs; doing so will help you regain your energy and focus, she suggests. Don't just sit there while talking on the phone. Pace around your office or room after getting up.

These minor adjustments add up: Your calorie burn goes up by 20 to 40 percent when you move your legs in a small amount of time, like when you drum.

Get a Dog

It has been demonstrated that the owner's level of activity increases when a new pet, particularly a dog, arrives. Gray asserts, "Getting a pet, like a dog, will give you another reason to get outside and do something active." Pets require activity and can actually serve as your own personal buddy to hold you accountable for taking them for at least a short walk each day. You will have burned more calories than if you sat in front of the television all day, even if the dog only makes you get up and let it out without taking a walk.

Walking a dog can help you burn about 200 calories for every half hour of exercise, just like walking alone.

Clean Your House

Another way to keep active during the week is to clean your home or apartment frequently. According to Gaspari, "Cleaning your house can engage a variety of muscle groups without you even realizing it." It's not easy to carry a heavy vacuum around, especially when going up and down stairs. Going one step further and attempting to "squeeze your buns every time you take a step" is what Gaspari suggests doing. He adds, "Try tightening your abdominal muscles for a period of time every hour while you're taking a break."

Light cleaning can burn 85 calories in half an hour for a 150-pound person, while vigorous cleaning can burn 102 calories in 30 minutes.

Cook at Home

The majority of people don't think of cooking as exercise; however, cooking at home burns more calories and typically results in fewer calories consumed than eating out or ordering in. Planning ahead and eating at home is the best way to control what you eat, according to Gray. You'll know exactly what went into your meal this way, and I promise it can be made faster and for less money than going to a restaurant. On days when you have more time, prepare meals and shop for groceries. You will be able to resist the temptation to make unhealthy choices because you will have the meal on hand.

A 150-pound person can also burn 78 calories in 30 minutes of cooking by standing, light lifting, and chopping.

Trade Drinking for Dancing

Friends often meet for drinks or coffee at a bar or coffee shop. However, instead of a sedentary gathering, why not switch to an activity that burns calories, such as walking, dancing, or attending a Zumba class with a party? She suggests going for a walk outside with your friends or signing up for a yoga class and a tea date rather than another night of drinks, which will likely result in an increase in empty calories and subsequent overeating.

Dancing is the most caloric of these activities, burning more than 200 calories per half-hour on the floor.

Sneak in Exercise During TV Time

Who says you have to watch your favorite shows from the couch? Russell asserts that staying active can help you advance significantly. During commercial breaks, try some pushups, jumping jacks, or other fat-burning exercises. Press in practice while sitting in front of the television or when the children are snoozing," Russell prompts. " During commercials, for instance, aim to perform two sets of push-ups and a round of abdominal exercises.

If you want to burn more calories, perform light calisthenics for the entire 30-minute performance and consume 115 calories.