This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
The other day I was looking at recent photos of myself and realized one thing: I am turning into quite the softie, and not in the emotional sense. I’ve always been pretty fit and naturally active, but lately I have been much more sedentary than ever before since I work at my computer all day every day, and now it is starting to show. I don’t need to lose a ton of weight, and while I would love to lose a few pounds, it’s more about getting out and being active that is going to pull me out of the comfortable little bubble I have slipped into. Being a super busy working mom of two small children, I don’t seem to have the time or energy to put much into self care these days, but with both kids recently starting school, all that is about to change!
Fall is one of my favorite transitional seasons. I love the freshness of the air, the festivities, and I love how it just feels like the right time to make changes and set goals. They don’t even have to be big goals – I just need to get out and get myself away from the same old non-active routine every day. The first thing I’m doing on my road to a new “me” is investing in quality workout shoes. I feel like a new pair of shoes quite literally puts a brand new spring in my step and gets me ready for the world. Yes, I’m a shoe person, and proud of it! When I find a pair of shoes I love, I wear them all the time, and since my last great pair of sneakers should have been retired a while ago, I headed to Famous Footwear (one of my favorite places) and purchased a sweet new pair of Women's Flex 2016 RN Running Shoe to go with this new leaf I’m turning over. I adore their selection, and I can get shoes for the entire family in one trip!
Now that I have the school day to myself, I am in a great place to devote some much needed time to getting up and out of my desk chair. I can go walking without a crowd, I can watch exercise videos alone, and I can actually get things done without having to put everyone’s needs above my own for a few hours each day. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children, and I love spending time with them, but mama’s gotta do her.
Now that I have the time, the shoes, and the motivation to get out and do, I need to actually plan my activities, right? I am not a practical exercise kind of person – I love walking, biking, hiking, and all that, but sit-ups? No way. Running? Bleh! I like to do things a little differently, so I decided to make a list of some sneaky ways to squeeze fitness into the day that don’t take a lot of extra effort. If you are in the same boat as I am, this might help give you some ideas as well!
Get up: This is a little obvious, but I think most of the reason I have fallen into where I am now is because I find myself sitting down all the time. I would say on days I work the most, it is a good 8-9 hours that I’m in my chair in front of my computer. I need to break that cycle and mix it up! Some ways to do that are working at my laptop while standing, or even mounting it on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes every day.
Get out: There’s nothing quite like some fresh air when I’m stuck in a rut. Spending time outdoors leaves me feeling refreshed, so I need to do more of it.
Simple exercises: I am not a big fan of intense workouts. In fact, I actually kinda hate them. But that doesn’t mean I can’t regularly exercise! There are so many options when it comes to moving your body, and I’ve found that even cleaning the house can be beneficial when I add in some extra steps, deliberate movements, and repetitions throughout it.
Park further out than normal: This is something that my grandmother used to always do whenever we went out to eat, and it has always stuck with me. A few extra steps to the car never hurts!
Speedy chores: Sometimes I like to play “how fast can I clean this” and zip around the house putting away toys, clothes and whatever else is laying around and work up a good sweat. I can totally jog from room to room like a crazy person and nobody cares. And guess what? I am being active. I am working my muscles, getting my heart rate up and getting that exercise in without having to take time out for it. The kids aren’t big on helping me with laundry, so I have started clearing off my big dining room table and folding it all there while doing squats. After 15 minutes of that I definitely feel the burn! Other great heart pumping tasks that I can do around the house are sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and more!
Track progress: I’m the kind of person that finds huge motivation in tracking my progress. Whether it’s keeping a chart, using a pedometer, or even investing in a wearable fitness tracker, being able to see what I’m doing has always helped me in working towards a goal. By recording my exercises, fitness choices, and changing stats, I can also find out what works for me, how much I’ve progressed over time, and how far I’ve come. Right now my goal is to get my endurance up and my weight down a little, and with tracking I can keep an account of exactly what I’m doing to reach that goal.
Do you have fall fitness goals this year that a new pair of shoes from Famous Footwear can help with? Let me know in the comments, and share your favorite pair! You can also check them out on Instagram.
