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20 Easy Ways to Incorporate Exercise into your everyday routine.

Many of us find it increasingly difficult to fit exercise into our everyday routine.  Let's face it between your house, job, family, etc. there is rarely any time left in day for yourself let alone exercise.  Following is a list of ways you can add moderate intensity exercise to your life everyday, helping you to achieve the Surgeon General's Recommendation of one hour of physical activity on most days of the week.  And best of all, many of them require little, if any, extra time to do!

1. Get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and take a brisk walk to start your day.

2. Forget the drive through car wash. Wash the car yourself.

3. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

4. Park at the far end of the parking lot for a longer walk.  Get off of the bus a stop ahead and walk the rest of the way to your destination.

5. If you are on the computer for a large majority of the day, give yourself 5 minutes of exercise for every hour on the computer.

6. Walk around your building or home, outside or inside, during your lunch or coffee break.

7. Walk your dog or a neighbor's dog.  You'll be doing yourself and the dog a favor.

8. Play actively with your kids, grandkids or pets.

9. Before and after dinner walk and talk with your family.  If you have a baby at home, use a baby carrier on your back instead of a stroller to burn more calories.

10. Do some backyard gardening and for an added bonus grow some fresh herbs and vegetables if you can.

11. Ride your bike or walk to work, to run errands or to a friend's home, if it is safe to do.

12. While you watch TV do household projects or chores such as mopping the floor or refinishing a piece of furniture.  Anything to avoid the "couch potato" syndrome. 

13. Catch up on your housework - wash the windows, shampoo the carpets, sweep the porch or sidewalk, clean out the garage.

14. Use the exercise equipment you already own.  Read the paper or a magazine while you ride a stationary bike or watch TV while you workout on a treadmill or rowing machine.

15. Push your lawn mower instead of using the power-assisted drive.

16. Make homemade wheat bread. Knead the dough by hand instead of using a food processor or bread machine.

17. Use the restroom that is at the opposite end of the building so you get an opportunity to walk.

18. Plan an active family vacation or outing. Go hiking, canoeing or skiing.

19. Walk to talk.  If you talk on the phone a lot, buy a portable one so you don't need to sit still.

20. Rent an exercise video instead of movie once a week.

Adapted from The American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide.