10 Quick Ways to Get Yourself Fit!

The energy you expend always comes back.

I know this for sure.

This is true for all things, including your body. You must nurture it, work it, rest it. If you don't, the energy spent on neglect will eventually turn on you. It's not personal, just physics.

I chose not to get up and work out. Instead, I stayed in bed an extra hour to catch up on rest. That was my excuse the first day. By the third day, it was about the weather, being too busy....any excuse I could think of. I didn't feel like it. Not enough cushion support for my knees...whatever!

After three days of not exercising, my resolve to stay fit dissipates. It's easier to lie to myself: I'm too tired, too busy, there's not enough time are part of the downward spiral. Unfortunately for me, the resolve to work out is directly tied to eating healthfully.

The food I was eating started to get less and less healthy...simple and quick... that anyone can make; McDonald's, comfort food; so I ate mashed potato, bread and Graeter's Banana chocolate chip ice cream every night.

Ten days of high-glycemic foods combined with no workout equals ten extra pounds for me. Even worse than the weight gain was the way I felt. Exhausted. Lethargic. I felt aches and strains I didn't know existed. I knew for sure that this is what aging feels like. Aha! I got it. Working out slows the aging process and makes you more vital. Aha! Aha! Aha!

When you nurture and support your body, it reciprocates. The basis of that support is exercise, like it or not. The most essential benefit is more energy. The bonus is weight control. Taking care of your body, no matter what your age, is an investment. The return is priceless.

Here are some easy ways to change a few things to get more exercise.

1. Climb the Stairs

2. Walk to Work

3. Use your lunch break - in an hour you've got time to go for a swim, a job a walk in the park.

4. Sit up and look - see how many sit-ups you can manage in the commercial breaks on tv

5. Laugh out loud laughter; is good for your lungs. Don't just chuckle quietly. Let yourself go and really work those lungs. Laughter has many benefits and makes you happy, too.

6. Park further away from where you are going.

7. Take your dog to the park

8. Dig the garden- Your grandparents probably kept fit working their garden. Growing your own food is great exercise and it's fun to eat what you produce.

9. Scrub your bathtub (if you don't have a bad back) Using lots of elbow grease as you do your housework raises your pulse and gives your whole body a workout. Recognize the workout value of cleaning and you'll start to enjoy those chores.

10. Do you remember doing jumping jacks at school? They're surprisingly good for you. See how quickly you can do 100. Tomorrow, try them faster.

Start Now and Have Fun!