• Shorter spurts of exercise spaced throughout the day can offer as much benefit as one longer workout. Squeeze in a few 10-minute walks on your breaks.

• The hours after work and before bedtime tend to get hectic. Start by getting up 30 minutes earlier two days a week to exercise. Once you've adjusted, try adding an extra day.

• Triumphantly claim the back row of the parking lot as your own, or park a few blocks away, and walk quickly to your destination.

• Your weekly Saturday matinee with the kids or your best friend could be reborn as your weekly Saturday bike ride, rock-climbing lesson or trip to the pool.

Let's face it. We have to make some changes in order to get fit. It's not always easy, but take a look at your schedule and you're bound to find some extra minutes for exercise.

It's natural to grow weary of a repetitive workout day after day, especially when you're going it alone. It might be helpful to:

• Join forces with friends, relatives, neighbors or co-workers. Not only will you benefit from the exercise, but the social interaction can help motivate you and lift your spirits as well. Offer encouragement to one another when the going gets tough.

• Check out exercise classes or sports leagues at a recreation center or health club. Learn a new skill and meet new people while getting a great workout.

• Change from day to day. Cross-training lets you rotate among several activities — such as walking, swimming and cycling — to keep you on your toes, physically and mentally. It's a great way to develop a variety of skills while conditioning different muscle groups.

Remember: Exercise doesn't have to be boring. Choose activities that you enjoy doing, and you'll be more likely to keep your interest level up!

A great way to gain the support of your friends and family is by bringing them along for the ride. Remind them of the benefits of regular exercise. It might also be helpful to:

• Sign up for a parent-child exercise class, where you can have fun and get your kicks together.

• Instead of suggesting a workout at the gym, propose a new adventure. Invite a friend to take a rock-climbing lesson with you, or sign up for a white-water rafting weekend getaway.

• Pack up some sandwiches and your family, and head to the park for a game of frisbee, tag or kickball. Go to the pool and splash with the kids instead of watching from your chair.

• Volunteer to drive your teens to the mall, and then walk laps inside rather than going home to wait for them to call for curbside pickup.

• Finally, have a serious heart-to-heart. Tell your loved ones how important they are to you and that you want to be there for them for many healthy years to come. If they don't share your ambitions, ask them to at least respect your will to get fit.

If you're nervous about injuring yourself by exercising the wrong way, start off on the right foot with these ideas:

• Exercise classes for beginners are designed for people who are new to an activity. Your instructor should lead off by introducing the basics and demonstrating proper techniques to minimize the potential for injuries.

• Consider working one-on-one with a personal trainer. Get a customized fitness tutorial from a certified expert, who can monitor your movements and point you in the right direction.

• Start small and walk. Walking is something you can do alone or with friends, with children, with your spouse, with your pet, outside or inside, any time of the year.

Don't rush head first into an intense sport in which you have no training. Instead, start simple. As you become more confident in your abilities, you can add new activities to your routine.

Most importantly, don't get down on yourself! Start off solo, without the distraction of the person on the neighboring treadmill.

• Choose some exercise videos to use in the privacy of your home. As you become healthier and more at ease with exercising, your self-confidence will benefit as well.

• Consider investing in a stationery bicycle, treadmill, stair-climbing machine, or other home exercise equipment.

• Sign up for a beginner's exercise class. Classes especially for those who are new to a type of exercise are designed to teach the basics by starting from scratch.

Bottom line: Forget about how you look as you exercise. Remind yourself what a great favor you're doing for your cardiovascular health, or focus on how much stronger you feel after a workout. Praise yourself for improving your stamina and making a commitment to lifelong fitness.

Are you setting your mental bar too high? Maintain realistic expectations for yourself. If the mere thought of a morning jog makes you tired, try these thoughts on for size instead:

• Never underestimate the power of momentum. For starters, take a walk around the block. Don't give up if you feel worn out. Take another walk around the block tomorrow. Eventually, you'll no longer feel worn out. That's progress!

• Work with your nature, not against it. Plan your activity for times of the day when you tend to feel more energetic — or at least not quite so lazy.

• Schedule exercise as you would schedule an important meeting or appointment. Block off times for physical activity, and make sure your friends and family are aware of your commitment. Ask for their encouragement and support.

No energy to exercise? Without exercise, you'll have no energy. Face it; it's a vicious cycle. Breaking the cycle with a walk around the block is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

f your energy level lags after work, maybe what you need more than your morning shot of coffee is an a.m. dose of exercise. Exercise is best done earlier in the day rather than later at night, so that you get a more restful night of sleep.

• Put workout clothes next to your bed. Keep a water bottle filled up and ready to grab out of the fridge. Have an exercise video queued up and ready to go.

• After breakfast, hop on the treadmill or stationary bicycle while you listen to the radio or watch the morning news. Or, step outside for a brisk walk.

• Lunching at the office? Keep a pair of walking shoes at your desk, and take a brisk walk during your downtime. Your walk needn't be strenuous or long. A collection of short walks throughout the day can be equally effective.

If you're used to keeping a busy schedule, early mornings and late nights might seem like just part of the drill. Running on empty, however, is no way to keep properly fueled for a full day. Hit the hay earlier to make sure you're not depriving yourself of sleep.

Natural athletic ability is not a prerequisite to physical activity. Simplify your definition of exercise by keeping these ideas and tips in mind:

• Walking requires no advanced skills or special coordination. It's a safe, effective way to improve your muscle tone and cardiovascular health with minimal risk of injury.

• Pair up or team up with friends who are in the same boat as you. Have fun hanging out while helping each other work out.

• Avoid the hard-bodied athletes at health clubs. Instead of hiding out alone, though, try placing yourself in the company of other regular people, where you'll feel on more equal ground.

Don't worry about becoming a superstar athlete. Instead, focus on the positive changes you're making to your body and mind. You're relieving stress, building endurance, strengthening your muscles, and helping to prevent or delay bone loss and osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

If you've tried to get fit in the past but didn't succeed, don't throw in the towel. Learn from your mistakes. Re-evaluate what went wrong.

• Did you do too much too quickly? Pace yourself. Start small and build up to more intense workouts later, when your body is ready.

• Set realistic goals. Don't promise yourself you're going to work out for an hour every day, and then get down on yourself when you fall short. Stick with goals you can more easily achieve, such as exercising three days a week for the first month.

• Think about your personal goal. Remember why you're exercising and use that personal goal as motivation. Think of ways to reward yourself when you meet your goal.

Remember: You can do it! You can't see it when you lower your cholesterol or reduce your risk of diabetes, but that doesn't mean you aren't doing yourself a great favor! A longer, healthier life is definitely worth the exercise.

You don't need a membership at an elite gym to get a great workout. Today's selection of inexpensive home exercise options is more diverse than ever — and always expanding.

• At-home strength training. Buy one or two inexpensive resistance bands — lengths of elastic tubing available in varying strengths — to use in place of weights. Or, raid the kitchen and use soup cans or plastic milk jugs partially filled with water.

• Try exercise videos. Mix it up with dance aerobics, cardio-kickboxing, yoga or tai chi. Collect a small variety of videos that will keep you interested. Try trading exercise videos with a friend, or check out your local library or video rental store for new-to-you picks.

If you enjoy the social interaction and group atmosphere of an exercise class but can't fit one into your budget, save your pennies and look elsewhere:

• Start a walk group. Round up some friends and neighbors with similar schedules and organize a group walk. At the office, send your co-workers an e-mail to remind them that a daily walk is a great way to take the guilt out of indulging in break-room treat fests.

• Try your community center. Check into exercise classes offered at your local community center or through your local community education group. Such classes typically are much more affordable — and practical — than is an annual membership at the gym.

Remember: You don't have to break the bank to get fit. Get creative and come up with common-sense solutions that are cost effective.

Too cramped, too crowded or too crazed? If your home environment isn't fit for a good workout, head out the door in search of greener pastures.

• Parks and outdoor trails are great places to walk, jog or bike while getting some fresh air.

• Community centers and shopping malls are also terrific, accessible places to stretch your legs. Some colleges make their tracks or gymnasiums open to the public, too.

• Forgo the elevator in favor of the stairwell. Climb stairs as a workout in itself. Stand on the bottom step and do backward lunges onto the landing. Use the second step to do triceps dips.

• Forget about big, bulky workout equipment. Tone your arms with basic strengthening exercises using light weights or household items such as canned goods. Do standing push-ups against a wall.

Don't worry about not having a fully equipped in-home gym. Instead of lamenting what you don't have, find ways to make better use of what you do have.