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IF you are one of those people who would like to get into shape but whose idea of a good time does not include pumping iron in a gym, this article is for you. If you feel guilty because you know you should exercise to keep your body fit but somehow never seem to have enough time or the inclination to get off your you-know-what, feel guilty no more. Instead, follow the tips on these pages on how to acquire a toned and fit body the (almost) painless way without spending grueling hours at a spa. In fact, you don't have to make any drastic changes in your current lifestyle. Simply build some exercise into your regular routine.

You can start with your morning shower. This daily ritual offers a perfect opportunity for exercise. But since bathtubs are frequent sources of accidents, do not exercise in your tub until you are absolutely sure that it has a slip-proof floor or slip-proof bathtub mat.

Once you have finished the lather cycle and started to rinse, it's time to begin the exercise. Face the opposite wall of the shower, about three to four feet from the wall, lean forward until your outstretched hands touch the wall, then, without bending your body, do as many push-offs as you like, remembering that the more you do, the better the fitness results. In the end, you'll wind up not only squeaky clean but with firmer arm, chest and shoulder muscles.

With fitness on your mind, you should now take stock of how you are doing when it comes to walking, since a brisk 30-minute walk each day is one of the most beneficial aerobic exercises on the physical fitness map. Conversely, one of the biggest obstacles to physical fitness is people's habit of totally relying on the automobile to get around, even if where they are going is only two blocks away. So if you fall into the category of people who can't make it to the neighborhood grocery store without using the car, rediscover your legs and the joy of walking. Resolve to use the car or public transportation only for longer distances and walk instead. If your job is within walking distance, walk! If not, use the bus only part of the way and walk the rest.

If you happen to own a dog, you have an excellent opportunity to combine the chore of walking your pooch with some serious fitness-enhancing moves. All you have to do is crank up the pace. Instead of your usual sauntering, change to a brisk aerobic gait. You can be sure Fido won't mind getting out of the snail's pace rut.

What is true for automobiles is also true for several other mechnical conveyances, such as elevators and escalators, and moving walkways at airport terminals. All were designed to make life a little easier, but in the process they have kept people from getting the exercise they need. Since walking is something you can't do too much, avoid mechanical aids like the plague whenever possible. Instead of the elevator, take the stairs whenever it is safe to do so. Don't let the fact that your apartment or office is located on the 30th floor of a high-rise building deter you from taking the stairs. Just use the elevator part of the way and walk as many steps as your legs can handle. The rewards are just a few steps away since nothing firms up thighs and calves better than regular walks up and down stairs.

Among the most ignored opportunities for improving physical fitness is television time. If you are a couch potato who spends hours in a near-catatonic state watching your favorite programs and your waistline spread, get a hold of yourself and come alive. There are countless ways of working on your body while you watch. Once you've overcome your inertia, you may try stretching exercises, push-ups and sit-ups, etc., While watching A Different World or The Oprah Winfrey Show. If push-ups and sit-ups prove too exhausting or too distracting, you can utilize the time firming up your arms by doing curls with lightweight dumbells or by squeezing the willies out of grips.

Other in-front-of-the-TV-set exercises are head rolls to limber up neck muscles, leg lifts from a sitting position and whatever else comes to mind.

Another opportunity for giving your body a much-needed workout on a regular basis is when you are shopping at your neighborhood grocery store. Instead of chauffeuring your bags home in your car, consider schlepping them yourself. You'll be surprised how much a 10-minute walk with weights will do to enhance your body's overall fitness and tone. Just be sure that the weight is equally distributed between your two arms and that you walk erect with your stomach pulled in while carrying your load. Under no circumstances should you ever carry a bag (or any load, for that matter) above your waist, since this puts undue stress on your spine and could result in painful lower back problems.

If in the past you have regarded taking care of your lawn as a hated but necessary evil, you may boost your enthusiasm for yard work by approaching the chore as a workout designed to enhance your physique. To get the maximum benefit out of mowing your lawn, leave the power mower in the shed and, instead, power the hand-operated mower yourself. After you have worked up a decent sweat and given your body at least 30 minutes of sustained exercise, you can finish the job with the power mower. Once you've become hooked on the exercise, you'll no longer regard mowing as an unpleasant chore. The inevitable result will be a better looking body and a better looking lawn.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:18 AM