1. Identify activities you love.
Make a list of activities you like to do that will burn calories. For example, take a walk with your family or a friend at lunch, take your kids to a park and play, or go outside and garden. “It’s important that people just start moving,” said Mary Jayne. “Doing activities you like is a great way to add physical activity into your day without taking out a huge chunk of time.”

2. Vary your routine.
Try different activities, such as dancing, swimming, tennis, or bike riding. “It’s good to vary your routine because your muscles become efficient at doing the same exercises,” said Mary Jayne. “That means you keep strengthening the same muscles while other muscles become weaker. If you vary your routine, you’re able to strengthen different muscle groups.” Additionally, you’ll be more likely to stick with an exercise program because you won’t get bored doing the same workout over and over again.

3. Break exercise up into manageable time slots.
Women who are pressed for time can break up exercise into two or three 15-minute increments per day. “Go outside for shorter walks a couple of times a day,” said Mary Jayne. “Breaking up exercise into smaller time frames makes it easier to fit exercise into your daily schedule.” If you take two 15-minute walks a day, you have already fit 30 minutes of exercise into your daily schedule.

4. Classes can be a helpful motivator.
For women who struggle to fit exercise into their daily schedule, exercise classes at a local gym or YMCA can be a great motivator. “The social environment of exercising with others can help keep you going,” added Mary Jayne. “It also can help push the intensity of a workout a little more.”

5. Work out with a friend.
Working out with a buddy can be a helpful motivator and keep you committed to an exercise program. Studies have shown that people are more likely to stick with an exercise program if they build a good support system around a favorite activity.

6. Schedule exercise into your daily planner.
Schedule exercise times into your daily planner or calendar just like you would a meeting at work. It’s more likely that you’ll stick to your exercise routine when it’s written down.

7. Start slowly and build up.
Overdoing it could lead to injury. If you haven’t been exercising, start out with a 10-minute walk. You can then build to 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days. After that, you can increase your activity to 40 minutes or higher.

All healthy adults need exercise, which noticeably accelerates their heart rate for at least 10 minutes at a time. Moderate exercise includes brisk walking, working out on a treadmill, swimming or even dancing.

8. Reward yourself.
Celebrate your successes, even if they are small. Look at how great you’re feeling and treat yourself to a massage, a healthy dinner or a movie. This can help you stay motivated. And don’t throw in the towel if you miss a workout. Just try to get back on the program as soon as possible.

9. Small steps can add up.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park your car farther away from the office. These small steps incorporate physical activity into your daily routine and can add up during the course of the day. “Every calorie you burn counts,” added Mary Jayne. “It’s all about those extra steps adding up.”

10. Walk to better health.
A good way to start is just to get up off the couch and starting walking. Studies have shown that walking 30 minutes on most days, combined with a healthy diet, can help women lose weight and even lower their risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. According to a study in the September 2006 issue of the Journal of Hypertension , taking brisk 10-minute walks four times a day can decrease your blood pressure for 11 hours. Taking a 40-minute continuous walk can keep it down for seven hours. So, get walking!

Laurie Volkin is a public relations specialist, freelance writer, and film/video producer. Her articles have appeared in local and national publications and on websites. She can be reached at lavolkin@msn.com.