How can I make exercise part of my daily routine?

Physical activity is a key part of preventing or managing cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Planning exercise can help make sure you don’t put it off as the day goes on. If you are increasing your exercise level after having been mostly sedentary for a long time, don’t panic: physical activity doesn’t have to be a tough session at the gym. Any activity counts as physical activity if it raises your heart rate and lasts for at least 10 minutes at a time. Even if you just move more than you usually have done in the past, you are making progress toward being more physically active. So, do what you can and get started with these ideas:

• The housework counts, so enjoy a clean house. Vacuum, sweep, and mop the floors, clean the windows, and so on.
• The yard work counts, too, so enjoy the outdoors. Mow the lawn, rake leaves, plant flowers, and grow a vegetable garden.
• Use a pedometer to record the number of steps you take each day and aim to increase your steps week by week. You can work toward a goal of 10,000 steps per day, if you’re able.
• Try bowling, fishing, or playing darts. You won’t burn a lot of calories, but you’ll enjoy becoming more active (and it will keep you from being sedentary.)

Note: Before you increase your level of physical activity, discuss your exercise plan with your physician.

Adding physical activity to your life does not have to be difficult. Surrounding yourself with social situations and social support for physical activity will help. Things like joining a walking club or a group exercise class or walking with your friends and family after work are ways to combine physical activity and social aspects together. Throughout your day, there are ways to increase physical activity as well. By parking further away from things and walking to places, using stairs instead of elevators, taking the longer walking route to things all can help you be active. If you combine social support, with an environment that makes physical activity more possible with your desire to be more active you will achieve your goal.
Many employers now encourage walking meetings, so instead of sitting at a desk, why not discuss work initiatives during a walk. Instead of sitting in a lunch room, or at your desk, eat lunch then go for a walk for the remainder of your work hours. 
During the evening hours, instead of watching TV from the couch, do sit-ups and push-ups during commercial breaks. During the show, do lunges and squats to work the legs. If you do this through two TV shows you will be getting a good workout. The bottom line, you can always find ways to add exercise in to activities of daily living.