Wellness Weight Loss 9 Easy Ways to Sneak in Exercise Not exercising is worse for your health than smoking, reports a new study. Here are our best tricks for sneaking in more activity during the day without changing your routine. By Health.com Editorial Team Health.com Editorial Team An article by 'Health.com Editorial Team' indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors may contribute to an article over the years. These collaborations allow Health.com editors to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available. The editors at Health.com are a dedicated team of experienced health editors, writers, and other media professionals who strive to bring trustworthy and responsible health and medical content to their readers. As a team, we have decades of experience in health journalism, and have worked at legacy publishers and some of the biggest news and media companies in the U.S. health's editorial guidelines Published on January 13, 2015 Share Tweet Pin Email Grab a chair and knock out a quick workout while you're at work. 01 of 09 Speed walk your errands Instead of eating lunch at my desk, I lace up my sneakers and do my daily errands on foot during my lunch break. I use my to-do list to map out a walking route, grab my wallet and iPod, and head outside for an hour of heart-pumping activity.Sometimes I need to drive to a shopping area first, but then I cruise around on foot checking items off my list. I love that getting my errands and workout out of the way frees up my evening for some serious relaxation! The Best 10-Minute Online Workouts You Can Do Anywhere 02 of 09 Play in the park Corbis Instead of meeting friends for Happy Hour after work, we head to the park for a couple of hours of play. We bring a Frisbee or bocce set and play a few rounds together. This way, I can incorporate some activity into my social life—and avoid those cocktail calories! The Case For Taking a Walk After You Eat 03 of 09 Stand and flex Corbis When waiting in line at the grocery store or bank (or any other establishment), I flex my abs for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times.It helps make the time pass, and it's a quick and easy way to work your core without anyone noticing. 5 Easy Exercises You Can Do at the Office 04 of 09 Go the long way Corbis You've probably heard this one before, but it really works: Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find a parking spot far away from your building so you get a little extra walking. If you ride the bus or subway to work, get off a stop before your office and walk the extra distance.It might take you a little more time to get to your destination, but all of those extra steps really add up! The Best Sneakers For Walking 05 of 09 Email and call less Corbis When I worked in an office, instead of calling or emailing a coworker, I got up from my desk and walked over to chat with them. Usually, we got a lot more accomplished in a quick in-person meeting, and I burned a few calories walking to their desk.It might not seem like a lot of activity, but all of those small steps can equal big gains when they're continued all day long. 11 Secrets of Women Who Actually Work Out at Lunch 06 of 09 Nix the shopping cart Corbis If I don't have a huge shopping list, I nix the cart and use two reusable bags to carry my groceries. I throw a bag over each shoulder and walk around the grocery store collecting items. Carrying two heavy bags is a great workout, and, at the same time, I get my grocery shopping done for the week. 07 of 09 Wake up and give me 50 Corbis Before I get into the shower in the morning, I do 50 crunches and push-ups on the floor of my bedroom. It takes me only about five minutes to complete, but it sets the tone for my day.Plus, if I can't fit in a full workout for the day, at least I did something! 5 Exercises You Should Do to Avoid Injuries After 40 08 of 09 Add 15 minutes to Fido's walk Corbis I walk my dog every morning before work. On the days when I know it'll be tough to fit in a workout, I add an extra 15 minutes to our walk, and I make sure that I get the most bang for my buck by power walking or running those extra steps. And, of course, my pup loves the extra exercise too! 13 Unexpected Ways to Fit In Cardio 09 of 09 Be a weekend warrior Corbis It's easier to fit in a workout on the weekend, but not when your household tasks take over most of your free time. Instead of missing out on a workout, I turn these tasks into exercise.For instance, I wash the car by hand rather than taking it to the car wash and I mow the lawn with a push mower instead of asking my husband to do it. These tasks sometimes take me more than an hour to complete, but I know I've gotten in some exercise for the day! How to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym on Cold, Dark Days Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit