An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.—Henry David Thoreau

Getting regular exercise doesn’t mean you have to work out an hour or more a day. Who has time for that? Short bursts of strength-training moves and at least two days of cardiovascular exercise weekly can help you keep fit.

Many of us use the lack of time as an excuse to not exercise. If I’m not teaching a fitness class, I can come up with more excuses than anybody about why I’m too busy to exercise. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.—life gets in the way, right? Wrong!

Starting now, make exercising a priority. You make time to do the things you really want to—or have to—do. Try this: schedule time with you in your calendar at least three times a week for a minimum of thirty minutes. Set the alarm. Get your exercise clothes ready the night before. Go to the gym, pop in a DVD, go for a walk, or dance around at home—it doesn’t matter.

Program a daily four-minute workout reminder! You’ll be amazed at the results four minutes of squats and push-ups can have. Start now!

Stop whatever you’re doing (unless you’re breast feeding, sitting in a doctor’s office, at church, etc.) and do four minutes of push-ups and sit-ups. Go to exhaustion on one exercise and then switch.

Here are a few tips about proper push-up form:

1. Place your hands a little more than shoulder width apart.
2. You can be on either your toes or your knees.
3. Keep your head in a neutral position.
4. Tighten your abdominals.
5. Lower your body until your chest reaches the floor.

And some tips for sit-ups:

1. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your lower back pressing against the floor, and pull in abdominals.
2. Keep your hands behind your head to support your neck and back while lifting your chest toward the ceiling, moving only a couple inches.
3. Try to keep shoulders off the ground.

How many push-ups and sit-ups can you do in four minutes? Keep a journal and count the number you can do after sixty days to compare!

If that type of exercise isn’t your cup of tea, find something you enjoy doing, whether it’s walking or kite boarding; it really doesn’t matter as long as you make physical fitness a daily activity.

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