Combining Exercise With Your Errands: B.O.G.O For Your Booty!

Who doesn’t love a little B.O.G.O or Buy One, Get One action? I for one love a good bargain. If I’m going shopping and I can get those cute black pumps and the comfy flats without overextending my resources or spending one extra dime, I’m going for it! The way I see it, you can apply the same principle to your everyday life when you are looking at your long to-do list and wondering how you are going to fit in some time for fitness. Do you have to choose between the two? Maybe not!

When planning how you are going to tackle your weekly errands, look carefully for obvious and hidden opportunities to squeeze in a little exercise. For example, I usually go to the Tuesday Culver City Farmers’ Market to do a lot of my weekly grocery shopping. Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are longer, I am biking to the market instead of driving, thereby getting my food shopping in and getting at least 40 mins of quality cardio on my bike. By doing this, I am tackling my to-do list, saving money on gas, helping out the environment, having some fun, and helping out my backside. Now that’s some B.O.G.O for my booty, my wallet, my mood, and the planet! And did I mention that my man Mike and I usually go to the farmers’ market together? Now I’m also fitting in some time with someone who is important to me and makes me smile; this is key to a quality lifestyle!

Here are some other ways you can combine your to-do list with exercise:

• Walk to your local post office to drop off mail.
• Park your car as far away as possible from the entrance when going to the mall, grocery store, etc.
• When meeting a friend for coffee/tea, pick a location that you can walk or bike to or make your meet-up fitness centered. Go to a yoga class, go for a walk/run, or a hike. (Big tip: Making time to cultivate and nurture your personal relationships SHOULD be on your to-do list!)
• Taking your kids to the park? Why not run and play with them instead of just simply keeping an eye on them!
• When heading out to do errands, try whenever possible to wear clothes and shoes you can easily move in. This will allow you to walk further and faster, thereby getting your heart rate up.
• Gotta clean the house? I love to turn on my favorite music and make it as fun as possible. You might catch yourself shakin’ your azz in front of the same mirror you’re cleaning. Cleaning is actually a big calorie burner so it can actually kill two birds with one sponge!
• Make a day of it! Whenever possible, I like to load up my backpack, hop on my bike and hit up as many places as possible on my to-do list. Try returning that shirt, picking up your photos, and stopping by the bank all in one day/one trip.
• At the very least, take the stairs whenever possible and maybe climb a couple of extra flights while you are at it.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to have an all or nothing approach to exercise. You might not always have an hour to work out but you can definitely find 10 minutes to squeeze in some fitness. By combining exercise with your errands, you might weave in a 40 minute workout or a 10 minute walk. Either way, you are making time for an essential component for living a life of wellness. This might not be enough to bring about weight-loss or a good sweat, but it is certainly a step in the right direction and all those steps lead you to a better end result! As you looked over my list of ideas, I hope you also noted that some FUN was built in! Playing with your kids, walking with a friend, feeling the wind in your hair while biking, dancing around your apartment while getting your clean on, and just feeling your awesome beating heart should add some fun and pleasure into your everyday life!

We live in a fast paced world and we are all pressed for time. With so much to be done in any given day, it’s always nice to find ways to get those errands done and squeeze in a little movement as well. A little B.O.G.O. never hurt anyone! Plus, by making time to move daily, even if it is for a short amount of time, you will feel more alive, feel more energy, and make those errands a bit more fun!

Now, look at your to-do list and see where you can add in exercise while getting your errands done. How will you start to incorporate this B.O.G.O. philosophy into your weekly to-do list?