People Are Sharing The Small Hacks They Use To Get More Exercise Every Day

Finding the motivation and time to workout is sometimes challenging, especially when life gets super busy.

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their best hacks to get more exercise every day. Here's what they had to say:

1. "I walk everywhere I go. I've slowly been able to see more of my city, find cute coffee shops, and interesting art, and I know how to get everywhere in the city now if I randomly show up somewhere. Invest in comfortable shoes. Wear those shoes often. White sneakers go with almost every outfit. Wear them and walk!"

2. "Make it more convenient! I'm so lazy but if I find a gym or walking path near work/school, I'm five times more likely to exercise. Then, I can either change into work clothes when I get to the office or change into gym clothes for the way home. Otherwise, I have to go out of my way to set aside time for it, and TBH, it's just not gonna happen."

—Amanda, Pennyslvania

3. "The hardest thing about getting more exercise is just finding the motivation. Getting a dog helped me because even though I want to be a lazy blob I know that this creature depends on me and requires walking and playing, so I easily get an extra 5,000 steps minimum walking my little guys. The biggest hack though is participating in a sport. If you have a competitive nature participating in a sport gets you up and moving, and you have a built-in community. Plus, participating motivated me to do other fitness activities to make me better at the sport."

4. "When I use the bathroom at work I take the long way there and the long way back."

— ellene8

5. "I always put on my exercise clothes first thing in the morning whenever I work from home or have the day off, even if I plan to workout much later. That makes getting started so much easier, which I usually find to be the hardest part. And I usually try to workout in the morning when possible, because I'm still half asleep, and by the time I wake up I'm already done."

6. "Looking at workouts on Pinterest gets me hyped up."

— opossumnamedcharlie

7. "I take a walk on my lunch if I don't have errands to run. Taking a 45-minute walk on my lunch has been a game changer. It clears my mind and gets me away from the office to recharge and get some movement in the middle of the day. I also stand at my desk as much as possible and take a lap around the office every 20 minutes or so. Every step/movement adds up."

8. "I set my workout clothes out the night before."

—Anonymous, Chicago, Illinois

9. "I work from home and use a walking pad under my desk. Also, having a personal trainer to get me to show up and actually work hard."

10. "I walk in place while watching TV. For an extra challenge or bonus, I hold egg weights in my hands while stepping in place. Before you know it, you have walked 1,000 steps during a 30-minute show!"

— kellinavoth

11. "Find something you love to do that happens to be physical activity. Dancing might not feel like working out, but it sure is exercise. Or, couple exercise with something you enjoy. For example, listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook or chat on the phone while walking so you forget you're doing the walking part."

12. "I walk my dog two miles a day, one in the morning and one in the evening."

— kellinavoth

13. "Have or take care of toddlers. But jokes aside, take your kids to the park and actively play with them! You end up moving a TON and after an hour or two of playing, everyone is tired and sleeps well, too. Playing simple games like tag and kicking a ball around is easy and enjoyable for everyone, but I've even seen a dad and a 6-year-old dress up as Spider-Man together and have epic battles of chasing and wrestling in the field at the park. Follow your kids' lead, pretend you're one of them, and you'll have a great time while getting some exercise in, too!"

14. "I wear a 12-pound weighted vest when I'm doing housework, cooking dinner, or just moving about in the house. It raises my heart rate just a bit but doesn't tire me out. It also forces me to sit or stand straight, preventing the slouch on my shoulders."

—Anonymous, Georgia

15. "Park your vehicle the furthest away from the entrance to your work, restaurant, store, or whatever. It forces you to walk farther, get your steps in, and tricks your mind that it is not exercise."

16. "As someone who works remotely, I put a 30-minute recurring meeting in my calendar for a walk break. Sometimes I have to move the time around, but I've been sticking to it since January and it's such a great habit I now have."

—Amy, Canada

17. "I ride my bike to work. I've also found that using cannabis for a run, swim, or bike ride helps me tune into what I'm doing and go for longer. I find it so relaxing to get stoned, put some music on, and workout after a long day."

18. "I put a gym in my living room. Power rack, bumper plates, adjustable dumbbells, heavy bands, medicine balls, slam balls, rowing machine, and even a hex bar. There are zero excuses now to not get something done at least six days a week. Plus, I walk to my grocery store instead of driving."

—Scott, California

19. And finally, "Health is not all or nothing. I used to feel this way and when I didn't feel like I could do a workout and give it my all, I wouldn't do one. That mindset made my workouts sparse and I never reaped the rewards. Now I realize that maybe I won't have the best workout of my life every day. Maybe I moved slower today or I used lighter weights. Maybe it wasn't my best workout but I still showed up and moved my body. I have found that I feel much better when I workout every day, even if I half-ass it, than when I only workout on my best days."

What's your best fitness hack? Share it in the comments!

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.