by Maya Schioler

Created on: December 13, 2009

Whether you do heavy physical work for 10 hours a day or exhaust yourself with 4 hours of mentally demanding tasks you might find it impossible to take proper care of yourself. After all, you need to do your job to survive, and if you just can't muster up an ounce of energy to do more than the absolutely necessary, the thought of working out seems laughable.

You're tired and you just want to lie down on the couch in front of some TV show. Your stomach is roaring. The kids are begging you for fast food and your husband is as overworked as you are. So you end up ordering a pizza. Then there is not much time left before you have to stumble into bed in order to get up for another stressful day.

It might seem like an impossible catch 22. You are too tired to exercise and cook, but junk food and inactivity further drain your energy. All is not lost, however. The trick is to start small.

These are some ideas to start out with:

- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

- Go for a short walk during your lunch break. Even five short minutes will relax you and make your body feel less stiff.

- If your job is sedentary, get up to do some stretches. Try to do a routine once every hour. Get up and walk a few paces as well.

- Keep some water at your desk. Many of us are dehydrated without realizing it, and just getting enough fluid will make a huge difference to your health.

- Substitute chocolate bars and cookies for fruits and nuts. Prepare a mixture of nuts, seeds and apple slices, maybe with some cinnamon and a few raisins. If you are short on time just grab the whole apple and bag of nuts (get the natural ones, not the salted).

- When you get home, don't head straight for the couch. Take a slow walk first; it will clear your head. Chilly outside? Opt for a few yoga poses, or even this single all-in-one yoga pose.

As you start doing these little things you will start to feel more energetic. In no time you will find yourself able to do more, such as going to a gym. Not that there is any need to; it is perfectly possible to work out at home. Just get a few dumbbells, a stability ball and pick an exercise routine. There is a large variety of programs available online. I recommend Turbulence Training, which has workouts specifically intended for busy people.

Most importantly you should enjoy whatever kind of exercise you decide on. Resistance training is great for both fat loss and muscle building, but if the mere idea makes you grind your teeth and beg for mercy you are

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