Healthy Living: Diet and Fitness Tips

Healthy Ways to Spend a Rainy Day

Stuck inside on a dreary day? Here are five healthy activities to boost your mind, body, and spirit—no matter what the weather may bring
By Stacy Lipson fitbie
 

Spice Up Your Exercise Routine

Give your body a boost during a day spent indoors with a fun and innovative workout. Instead of sitting and watching your favorite daytime chat, set up a small obstacle course in your living room, says Philip Gray, a group fitness instructor at Equinox in South Florida. “Station two 5-pound dumbbells in the center, and put a jump rope in the area of the room that is the most open,” he says.

Then try following Gray’s routine. Start by performing arm exercises at the dumbbell station during the first commercial break. Begin with alternating bicep curls followed by dumbbell shoulder presses. Do 10 sets of each and repeat until the break is complete.

During the second commercial break, jump rope at a comfortable pace until the show resumes. “Pace yourself and set goals,” says Gray. “If you have shortness of breath early on, set a goal to finish 10 jumps, and rest 5 to 10 seconds between jumps. The point of the exercise is to increase your heart rate.”

At the third commercial break, use the couch to perform bench dips, then do a set of lunges. “Set a goal to do 10 dips and move on to 10 lunges,” says Gray. “Repeat the sequence throughout the third commercial break.”

Why it’s healthy: While you may feel like lounging, short bursts of exercise will keep you motivated even during the stormiest weather. Plus, those minutes of movement add up. Research from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that women who exercised just 2 hours a week (or 17 minutes daily) reduced their risk of heart disease and stroke by 27%.

Video: For a bigger challenge, add resistance bands to your strength training routine.

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