Amajority of people find some excuse or the other to not exercise on a regular basis. If you are one of those people or are just too lazy to get up and out, try the following tips to help shape your body as well as set a routine.

• Try short but regular forms of exercise instead of postponing it to that one day in the distant future where you work up a bucket load of sweat. If you try incorporating exercise into your daily routine, chances are you will stick to it. It doesn’t have to be long and strenuous; leave the strain and rigour for those one or two days where you really feel like expending energy. Try doing some cardiovascular exercises daily to help keep your weight and health on track.

• Eat light and small portions after short spans of time instead of loading up on three huge meals. Start with a healthy breakfast and then continue throughout the day with small portion meals. This way you can avoid snacking as well as junk food. Try eating a fistful of nuts or beans or crunch fruits and vegetables with a light dip. This helps increase your metabolism as well as aiding in digestion. Have your last meal in the evening so that by the time you go to sleep, your food has already been digested.

• Eat at your own pace and keep yourself free during the meal; don’t watch TV or have it on the go. If you know what you are eating and eat it slowly, you will help your digestive track by stopping before you get full. It takes time for your brain to signal that you are full; by that time you usually are well on your way to overeating and gastric troubles.

• If you are super busy and just don’t have the time to prepare healthy and nutritious meals at the end of your working day, try making big portions on the weekend and freezing them. This way you’ll have a variety of options during the work days and will be able to resist ordering unhealthy, fried and fattening foods. Also, talk to your fruit and vegetable seller, he can probably deliver the season’s freshest and healthiest options to your doorstep.

• Get a four legged pet; it will help you make time in your busy schedule to play with it as well as taking it out for walks. You reduce your stress levels as well with such animals. This way, you get your exercise and so will your pet, leading to a happier and healthier you.

• If you worry about your couch potato tendencies, fit in short bursts of exercise during the commercial breaks. Do crunches, sit ups or skip during these breaks or you could even run up and down the staircase twice or thrice during the same period. Remember, something is always better than nothing.

• Don’t feel like hitting the gym? Try dancing, aerobics, yoga or even running. They are all social activities but can also be carried out in the privacy of your home, depending on your needs. Many companies often organise a walkathon or marathons for a good cause; join in as often as you can — you can help others while helping yourself.

• If none of this works for you, get a Wii. The active sports games will force you to work out while having tons of fun.

• Last but not the least, sleep on time and sleep for a minimum of six hours. Also, drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins and waste from your body. If your body gets its required down time, chances are you will have energy left to accomplish all of the above and a lot more. A tired body has a sluggish metabolism and hence you gain weight as well. So sleep well, eat well and play well.