Making Time for Fitness

Face it, you have children, youhave work, and you have a schedule that makes you tired just to THINK about it.It seems as if there just are not enough hours in the day. So how in the worldare you going to continue to workout during the all of this rush?

First – you need to make yourfitness a priority. I know there are a million other very important thingsgoing on in your life, but value the investment that you have already made inyour health, and maintain some type of fitness even throughout hectic times. Ifyou cannot workout everyday, exercising two to three times per week at a higherintensity will enable you to maintain your current level of fitness for up tothree weeks. Inactivity, however, will smash your fitness level and make yourreturn to the gym a less pleasant experience.

Once you decide that continuingan exercise program is important, you need to figure out how to make it happen.An important part of maintaining a fitness program is to recognize that you canexercise anywhere. Are you traveling? Pack your sneakers and go for a walk orjog wherever you end up. Crunches are pushups are easy ways to maintain yourstrength training when you are away from the gym.

Here are 10 ways to exercisewithout even realizing it:

1. Park your car farther away. Themore steps you take during the day, the more exercise you're getting.

2. Go Dancing. You'd be surprised howmany calories dancing can burn

3. Participate in a charity walk or bike ride. Thereare bound to be several near you and most cater to all fitness levels.

4. Play with your kids. Tryingto keep up with them is sure to burn calories!

5. Take the stairs. Ifpossible, walk up the stairs at work or in your apartment.

6. Lift your legs at work. Whilesitting in your chair at work or at home watching TV, simply raise your legs infront of you and hold for 15-30 seconds at a time.

7. Squeeze a stress ball. Buy astress ball that you can squeeze while you're at work or watching television.Doing so will improve your blood flow, flexibility, burn calories and relievetension!

8. Stretch, do warm-ups, or ride your exercise bikewhile watching television.

9. Walk around your office or outside during lunch.

10. Do some chores.Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping thefloor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they cankeep you moving while getting your house in order.