| So what is stopping you? Given all the benefits, just | | | | a cordless phone. If you must stand in one spot, |
| about everyone wants to exercise, but too often, | | | | march in place, raising your knees high. Or rise to |
| obstacles get in the way. What if you really rather | | | | your tip-toes. Do this five times, then do five knee |
| not exercise… at all? Then don't. You do not | | | | bends. When you get ready, do ten. Or keep a small |
| need to engage in that formal activity known as | | | | three-pound weight or a canned food item nearby |
| "exercise" to get the benefits. Just a little more | | | | and do some weight training curls and presses. (For |
| oomph behind the things you do anyway every day, | | | | curls: With your arm straight, hold the weight down |
| find a few activities you enjoy and find ways to get | | | | by your hip. Then bend your elbow and bring the |
| your body moving a little more often. Here are some | | | | weight up to your shoulder. For presses: Start with |
| of the activities that you can find it useful during | | | | your arm in the curled position, then straighten it |
| your daily living. | | | | over your head.) Do five of each. When you feel |
| 1. Play With Children | | | | ready, do ten. |
| Kids love swings and merry-go-rounds, and pushing | | | | 4. Cancel "food dates" |
| them provides great arm exercise. Join in older | | | | Instead of meeting friends for lunch, coffee or |
| children's games. Play tag. Go roller skating. Jump | | | | dessert, make dates to take walks, go dancing or go |
| rope. Climb a play structure. Take a swim or a bike | | | | for bike rides. Or make a date to visit a health club. |
| ride or a rowboat outing on a lake. You will have so | | | | Most health clubs allow free one-time visits to check |
| much fun, you won't notice that you are exercising. | | | | out the facility. Try several. |
| 2. Sweep Some Snow | | | | 5. Take The Stairs Instead Of The Elevator |
| Unless you are in reasonably good shape, stick to | | | | If you are out of shape, start by walking down. |
| small accumulations of dry, powdery snow, the kind | | | | When you feel ready, walk up partway and work up |
| that can be swept with a broom. Snow shoveling can | | | | to climbing all the way. When climbing stairs no longer |
| be very strenuous, and every winter people | | | | leaves you winded, climb a little faster. |
| experience heart attacks from overexertion. If you | | | | 6. Mow The Lawn |
| are out of shape or have heart disease or significant | | | | Pushing a power mower provides surprisingly good |
| risk factors for heart disease (family history, | | | | exercise. Or for a somewhat more strenuous |
| smoking, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood pressure | | | | workout, retire your power mower and invest in a |
| or cholesterol), do not shovel heavy, wet snow or | | | | push model. You may even find that the lack of |
| major accumulations. | | | | fumes and a quieter machine make this onerous task |
| 3. Make The Most Of Phone Time | | | | more pleasant. |
| Do not sit while talking on the phone-pace. Invest in a | | | | 7. |
| longer handset cord so you can walk farther, or get | | | | |