We all know the benefits exercise has on our mental and physical health however many of us still do not have the discipline, or energy or are simply too lazy to stick with an exercise routine and you may not particularly enjoy exercise either.  As a busy mother of three exercise for me looks very different every single day; it could be a quick home express workout before my children wake, a sweaty gym session or quite simply the constant running around after my children; This is a good enough workout in itself!!

If you class yourself ‘too lazy to exercise’ I would actually challenge that and suggest you are looking at the wrong advice. I guarantee you are more active in your day-to-day life than you think you are and can absolutely find an exercise discipline you will enjoy and sustain long-term. Exercise does not have to be slogging yourself silly in the gym for hours it could simply be a 30-minute walk outside or an express home workout. 

Here are a few tips for those of you who class yourself as ‘lazy and/or don’t love exercise 

1. Choose an exercise you enjoy. Stop looking at social media for the latest fitness trend or comparing yourself with a friend who has signed up for a fitness challenge. What works for them may not work for you, we all have our own lives and commitments. The exercise you choose has to fit in with your own commitments and absolutely needs to be enjoyable otherwise you won’t stick to it. If you love walking then why not set yourself some walking goals. 

2. Walk more. This does not mean you have to hit 10,000 steps every day, If you have a very sedentary life setting a goal of 10,000 steps every day is a recipe for disaster. Rather than start small, focus on doing a little bit more than you currently do. If you currently do 2000-3000 steps each day then start by increasing your steps to 5000. You can increase your daily step count by parking further away from the shops, rather than parking right outside of the supermarket park further away. If you can walk to work then walk not drive and when visiting your local town try parking your car further away. Doing things like this will make it feel more natural and not a chore. 

3. Housework. Don’t underestimate the amount of calories you burn when doing housework, keeping things tidy throughout the day is a great way to keep active for example when hoovering, mopping, and sweeping all require energy and core strength. 

4. Stand up. Every hour stand up for at least 5 minutes for example if you work from home take a bathroom break or walk up and down your stairs for 5 minutes. 

5. Perform express home workouts. Signing up for a busy commercial gym which you have to drive to can become an excuse and may feel quite daunting to you if you are new to exercise. Set up somewhere in your house where you can do a quick home workout, All you need is a pair of dumbbells and a small space. Go a step further and leave the dumbbells out so you can see them, this means you are more likely to do the workout as you can see the dumbbells and are removing every obstacle possible. FIT MAMA powered by Mari Carmen Fitness is not just a fitness app, this app is made by mums for mums, to access a variety of express home workouts making it easier and more accessible to exercise around children or on a tight time schedule.

6. Work out with a friend. Exercising with a friend or partner can make it more enjoyable plus a bit of friendly competition never hurts anyone. Signing up for a local fitness class with a friend is likely to increase the chances of you attending the exercise class as you will not want to let a friend down. Once you build and establish this healthy habit you can then look at doing some other forms of exercise on your own. 

7. Sleep. If you want to commit to an exercise regime then do not overlook the importance of sleep. Getting enough sleep is a crucial part of being fit and healthy. Create a bedtime routine, ideally go to bed at the same time each night and remove electronic devices a good hour or so before bed. Getting a good night's sleep will mean you have the energy the following day to get the workout done you have committed to.