Fitting Exercise Into Your Busy Schedule

Every week you swear you're going to exercise, but your busy schedule crowds out the possibility? Let go of the idea that you have to invest hours at the gym to stay fit, and try some of these tried and true tricks to stay toned.

Take advantage of lunch break opportunities. Set yourself up such that you have to eat far from where you work. Force yourself to walk both ways, taking the stairs whenever possible and bringing coworkers or your laptop with you if you need to work over lunch.

No matter what, commit to ten minutes of exercise per day. Make ten minutes of exercise--sit ups, planks, push ups, squats--a part of your bedtime routine.

Promise yourself you'll devote two mornings (or late nights) a week to exercise. You may have to work crazy hours during the day, but you can find time on one end or the other of your busy days to fit in exercise, which will increase your energy levels. Designate two days a week as sacred exercise days, and go to the gym at some ungodly hour for a vigorous workout. Work yourself hard on those two days, fitting in both cardio and weights.

Look for ways to challenge your body while running errands and doing household chores. Make yourself walk as much as possible while running errands (park far away, make yourself walk fast) and turn the loading and unloading of bags into a workout by bending your knees, lifting them high, etc. Do something similar when performing chores. Transform vacuuming, sweeping, and scrubbing into a full body workout by bending your knees, squatting, and using a little elbow grease.

Make sure your relaxation times are also active. Instead of watching a movie, meet a friend for a walk. Replace video games with a game outside. Replace sedentary hobbies with athletic or active hobbies.

By thinking outside of the box, you can fit exercise into even the busiest of schedules.