Most weight loss programs advise some kind of exercise alongside modifying your diet. And without doubt, exercise does make a difference if you can keep it up.

The trouble is that most of us start out fully committed to an hour long gym program three times a week and then find it's all too much. Either we don't have the time or we don't have the energy or we just can't be bothered with the getting there, getting changed, getting going - not with all the other things going on in our life. It's simply one big effort too far when we're tired and overloaded.

If it's one of those days when you just can't see your way to a full-blown exercise session (and even if every day is one of those days) make yourself feel better and use up some calories with mini-activities. This can be as little as

• a walk around the block
• taking a single flight of stairs instead of the lift
• spending 5 or 10 minutes tidying your home
• walking over to chat to someone in your office instead of emailing
• kicking a ball with your children in the garden before tea
• making alternate circles with your feet while talking on the phone
• holding your tummy in when you're stuck in traffic
• getting up to switch over the channel instead of using the remote

Every time you do something, anything at all, you're adding to your fitness bank and burning calories. Try to do something whenever you think about it during the day. And give yourself a pat on the back each time you do it.

Some recent research has shown that slimmer people actually use up to 350 calories more a day than overweight people just in everyday activity - even if they don't do any formal exercise and sit down all day at work. The calories are used up just by moving around a bit more in the course of the day. That's enough calories used to make (or lose) a pound of fat every ten days!

So if you can't or don't want to get to the gym, just remember every little counts and have an active day every day anyway!

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small