Many healthy habits can greatly improve your overall health, such as eating clean and getting quality sleep each night. One key habit to maintain optimal health is staying active.
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I always recommend everyone to do some form of movement daily. Physical activity helps circulate oxygen and nutrients, makes your heart and blood vessels work better, and boosts mental health. Daily movement is also a great way to reduce stress, especially when you’re busy. In fact, dedicating just 30 minutes a day to movement can already bring significant benefits to your health.
How Daily Movement Benefits You
We’re all aware of the importance of physical activity, yet many still find it challenging to incorporate enough daily exercise. A report by the CDC indicates that about 25% of U.S. adults don’t meet the recommended levels of physical activity necessary to maintain their health, which equates to 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity each week.
Engaging in daily movement significantly boosts both your physical and mental well-being. Whether it’s running, walking, dancing, swimming, hiking, cycling, lifting weights, or practicing yoga, all these activities contribute to a more active lifestyle.
Here are some benefits of making exercise a daily habit:
- Support for healthy fat loss – regular physical activity has been linked to sustained lower body fat levels in women.
- Strengthening of body systems – regular exercise promotes muscle growth, bone strength, skin condition improvement, and enhanced cardiovascular health.
- Boost in mood – physical activity is effective in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Lower risk of chronic diseases – an active lifestyle helps reduce the risk associated with chronic illnesses, which are more prevalent in sedentary individuals.
- Enhanced cognitive function – regular exercise, especially in older adults, is associated with improved brain health.
- Improved sleep quality – daily physical activity can lead to better sleep patterns.
- Increased libido – increased exercise has been shown to enhance sexual function.
With that said, daily movement doesn’t have to be hard or strenuous. Let’s break down seven simple exercises to do every day to do every day as part of a fun and effective workout routine for beginners.
7 Exercises To Do Every Day
Here are 7 basic exercises to do every day to enhance your strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health.
1. Squats
Strength training, including exercises like squats, is crucial for increasing calorie-burning muscle mass. Squats target key muscle groups—quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Proper technique is crucial, and practicing with a chair can help refine form. Improving squat form can also alleviate knee pain by strengthening the quadriceps.
[Related: 38 Different Types of Bodyweight Squats]
2. Lunges
Lunges, which engage the lower body’s major muscles, are beneficial for both muscle strengthening and balance improvement. The exercise involves taking a large step forward and bending the front knee while keeping the spine neutral. I recommend practicing lunges in multiple directions to better prepare for daily movements.
3. Planks
The plank is one of the best ab exercises to do every day. It’s straightforward, efficient, and doesn’t require any equipment or much room. It activates key muscle groups throughout the body in a single position. This single exercise can have significant effects, targeting muscles from head to toe and enhancing strength and stability, one 60-second interval at a time.
[Related: 11 Unique Plank Variations That Will Build a Better Core]
4. Push-ups
Push-ups strengthen multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Beginners can start at an elevated surface and progressively work towards floor-level push-ups. Advanced variations like the “T-stabilization” push-up increase the exercise’s difficulty by challenging balance and stability.
5. Abdominal Crunches
Properly executed crunches target the abdominal muscles effectively. Starting with basic floor crunches and emphasizing proper spinal rotation to engage the obliques.
6. Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are beneficial for elevating your heart rate and enhancing cardiovascular health. Begin in a standing position with your feet together and arms at your sides. Jump while separating your legs and lifting your arms above your head, then return to the start and repeat for 30-60 seconds.
7. Burpees
Burpees are a high-intensity, full-body workout impacting the chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, hamstrings, and core. Start standing, then squat and place your hands on the floor. Jump back into a plank and perform a push-up. Jump your feet to your hands, stand, and leap into the air, repeating for 10-15 reps.
Can you work out multiple times a day?
Workouts that aren’t overly demanding are generally safe—you’re not exhausting yourself, struggling through them, or feeling sore the next day. This approach, known as “exercise snacking,” varies for everyone.
You might walk to work, take stretch or dance breaks during the day, engage in recreational sports like tennis, or perform a nightly yoga routine to relax before bed. The key is that moving our bodies becomes a habit we look forward to, and incorporating more movement throughout the day proves to be beneficial.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Got more questions about these simple exercises to do every day? Check out some commonly asked questions about this topic:
What are some simple exercises I can do every day to stay fit?
You can engage in a variety of simple exercises daily that require minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere. These include walking, jogging, cycling, doing push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days for general health and fitness.
How long should I exercise each day to see health benefits?
Health experts generally recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, which can be broken down into about 20-30 minutes per day. Incorporating strength training exercises on two or more days a week can also provide additional health benefits.
Can everyday exercise be harmful or should there be rest days?
While daily exercise is beneficial, it’s also important to vary your routine and intensity to avoid overuse injuries. Including different types of activities and incorporating rest days or lighter exercise days can help maintain a balanced fitness regimen without overstressing your body.
Bottomline
Exercise is not about complexity or length of time spent, but about consistency and focus on full-body workouts. These exercises, when performed in a dedicated manner, will help you reap the benefits of improved strength, flexibility and all-round health. Start now. Start small. And see the transformation unfold for yourself!
