BETTER HEALTH IN JUST 5 MINUTES A DAY

Some days, even a 30-min exercise can feel like a drag but you don’t necessarily need to dedicate a whole chunk of time to get healthier.

Good health, says one of the UK’s top physiciansDr Rangan Chatterjeeand author of Feel Better in 5, is the sum of the little things you do daily. All you need is five minutes of this and five minutes of that each day, and they all add up. We list down the ways you can ‘steal’ multiple 5-minute spots each day without having to up end your lifestyle.

At Home

 

While making breakfast

Water’s boiling, Moka pot is on the stove, bread is toasting … While your first meal of the day is taking shape, so can you. A spurt of high-intensity interval workout can help you burnup to 20 caloriesper minute. Check out these5-min workoutsyou can try.

In The Shower

So you’re mostly just standing there under the water, right? Well get moving instead. Do some squats while you wet and shampoo your hair or perform toe raises (stand with heels together and toes pointing outwards to form a ‘V’ shape; lift your heels off the floor) – both are great for toning and firming the calves and glutes. Find more shower exercise ideashere. Just be careful not to slip.

When brushing your teeth

This is another good opportunity to fit in some lower body workouts as you just need one hand to get your molars clean. Besides squats and calf raises, wall sits are ideal as are lunges, and evenKegel exercises.

At Work

 

In between working on your laptop

For most of us whose work require typing away at a computer, our hands – including the fingers, wrists, and forearms – are probably the most overworked limbs. It’s a good idea to work on thesehand and wrists stretchesregularly.

Queueing up for lunch

As you wait in line for your salad, squeeze in some of thesesimple movesthat are so subtle, other people may not even notice you’re actually exercising! Plus, with social distancing measures in place these days, you actually have more space to move around while standing still.

While seated at your desk

You don’t even need to get up to get a workout. Thesechair exercisesare perfect for those who are mostly desk-bound at work. Just make sure you’re seated on a stable chair and not one that can easily roll as you move.

While commuting

Stuck in traffic

Driving to work or home during rush hour means a lot of time being sedentary in your car. Take the opportunity to limber up by performingthese stretches. It will also help keep you awake for the drive and pass time more quickly.

On board public transport

You probably won’t have much room to move around, so focus on the face. Like the rest of the body, there are muscles on our face and they too would benefit from some flexing. Try theseeye exercisesand anti-ageing movesfor the face.