While she tried to keep going with her workouts to begin with, she found that they aggravated the injury. As a result, she\u2019s had to stop doing any movements that involve bending forwards. <\/p>\n
Debbie McGee’s daily movement hack<\/p>\n
But Debbie\u2019s not letting that stop her. Instead, she\u2019s started habit-stacking her movement, using different spots around the kitchen as cues to bend, stretch and lift weights. <\/p>\n
\u2018While I\u2019m around the kitchen, I do things like rising up on my feet to strengthen my calf muscles,\u2019 she said. \u2018And I do my old ballet pli\u00e9s, which are like squats, really. If I\u2019m bending down to go in a cupboard, I can\u2019t bend forward with my stomach, so I bend my knees out, like ballet second position. <\/p>\n
\u2018I do that every time I go into a cupboard. So that\u2019s keeping me exercising all the time. That keeps your legs stretched and strong.\u2019 <\/p>\n
She continued: \u2018I\u2019ve got two light weights in the kitchen for my arms, because I thought, \u201cOh, no, my arms are starting to go a bit.\u201d So, I\u2019ve started doing bicep curls and things like that while I\u2019m waiting for something to boil. I want to make sure my arms and my legs stay strong.\u2019 <\/p>\n
Debbie\u2019s approach is one all of us could benefit from \u2013 even if you don\u2019t have dumbbells lying around to do bicep curls<\/a> while the kettle boils. While setting aside another hour a week to squeeze in an additional gym session might not be possible when you\u2019re juggling a busy schedule, doing calf raises while you brush your teeth, or working through 10 squats every time you go to the toilet, is much more achievable. <\/p>\n Habit-stacking is also a great way to stay consistent \u2013 something Debbie said she learned from her late husband, magician Paul Daniels. <\/p>\n \u2018Paul used to say, \u201cEvery time you walk through a doorway, pull your tummy in and stand up straighter,\u201d\u2019 she said. \u2018And if you connect a doorway with that, you do suddenly go, \u201cOh, yeah, I\u2019m slouching; I\u2019m going to stand more upright.\u201d All those little things add up.\u2019 <\/p>\n One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women\u2019s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo<\/a> exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan \u2013 created exclusively for Women\u2019s Health COLLECTIVE members \u2013 you\u2019ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.<\/p>\n
![\"oyinda](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788986909_616_cca1331b-db01-49e2-b8d6-e4e85657b4ba.jpg\" "\\"oyinda")
![\"Headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788986910_481_59c04777-8640-419f-ad22-0bcab5c6f143.jpg\" "\\"Headshot")
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