by Rebecca Livermore

Created on: February 22, 2008

Everyone knows that exercise is important, but for various reasons, many people struggle with making exercise a normal part of life. Although it's ideal to participate in a regular exercise routine, it's possible to increase your level of exercise without ever walking into a gym or starting up an exercise DVD.

One of the best ways to incorporate exercise into your everyday life is to walk as much as possible. Here are some ways to do just that.

HOW TO PREPARE TO INCORPORATE EXERCISE INTO YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE

1. Get a pedometer. A pedometer measures how many steps you walk while you wear it, therefore, it is the best way to know how much walking you do in a day or week. It's best to get a pedometer that measures not only steps, but how many miles you walk and how many calories you burn through walking. Wear the pedometer the entire day, except for times when it is not possible to do so such as when you're in the shower.

2. The first day you wear the pedometer, try not to change your normal routine. In order to measure your progress, it is helpful if you can establish how much you walk in a typical day before you begin to focus on increasing the amount of steps you take each day. Write down the number of steps you took on the first day before you go to bed.

3. Make a list of ways you can increase the amount of steps you take each day. I will give you several ideas in this article, but since each person's situation is different, you may have options for walking that I don't think of, or you may not be able to do some of the things I suggest. Use the ideas below as a starting point and then be creative to come up with more ideas especially suited to your situation.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR DAILY STEPS

1. Park far away from the entrance to your office, the entrance to the grocery store, etc. Rather than attempting to get the closest possible parking place, intentionally park near the back of the lot. Note: for safety reasons, do not part in areas that are dark or that are so far away from the entrance no other cars are near by.

2. Don't take the elevator; take the stairs instead. If you work in an office building, or live in an apartment or condo located above the first floor, avoid taking the elevator as much as possible. It's important to remember that you do not have to take the stairs the entire way. For instance, if you work on the 15th floor of an office building, climbing 15 flights of stairs each morning will likely be too much to start with. Depending on your current

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