by Gordon Hoey

Created on: February 08, 2010   Last Updated: February 18, 2010

Exercise is essential to our well being and to a balanced lifestyle. It helps prevent illness, keeps the body and soul balanced and for many hard working types, keeps them sane. It is however, extremely difficult to maintain a regular exercise regime without a healthy dose of self discipline. 

Is it that hard to do?

Expert opinion points to 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days per week. Hard to fit in if you are working 9-5, with a wife, mortgage and a couple of kids, one might argue. However, with a bit of forward planning and not too much effort, it is quite easy to do, even successfully, without the exercise feeling like a chore. You may even have some fun.

During your lunch break, take a walk. Try and walk briskly which might be difficult to start with as, especially in urban areas you may well run the gauntlet of pedestrians. Persevere however and it becomes fun, dodging the mothers with buggies and the school kids window shopping. It helps to clear the head for the afternoon work session as well. Problems can be dealt with better during a walk and often solutions are forthcoming.

Consider cycling to work. Dependent upon your country of residence this can be very easy or pretty difficult. Many central European countries, American and Australia for example, make it very easy to cycle to work with dedicated cycle ways and often a beneficial climate to boot. Even in such seasonally cold and wet places like The Netherlands and Germany, many commuters cycle to work with obvious enjoyment. In the UK, you are totally dependent on the region in which you live, a lottery if you like. Check it out though; many initiatives have taken place in the past decade making it easier than you perhaps think.

Early morning swimming is another great way to kick start your day and get the endorphins dancing. One of the most non-invasive ways of working out, it is however, pretty boring. Check out your local pool opening times, buy some goggles and off you go.

Should you have the time, and of course a garden, gardening is another great way of exercising in a sort of quiet and unobtrusive way. All that bending and stretching moves muscles you probably forgot you had. Add mowing the lawn and trimming the hedge for a good workout.

Jogging or running is of course a perennial favorite. Buy some trainers, solicit your friends and colleagues and head out for a quick run over lunch. A shower afterward is a must however, so maybe an early morning or evening run, closer to home would suit better. It can be addictive and it can also be painful. The millions who regularly run or jog cannot be all wrong though.

Joining the local gym might work for you, as well. Often one starts with a great deal of enthusiasm, especially at the start of a New Year, only to find it hard to maintain the momentum. Stick with it however and it becomes a habit.

Coach you local team of whatever sport you prefer. You will be pleasantly surprised how much you run around. All that shouting and whistle blowing gets rid of all the stale air in the lungs as well. 

Exercising regularly  makes so much sense you just know you have to make the time.

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