Work, children, household, family and social obligations and financial constraints. These are all “good” reasons women may use to keep themselves from regular exercise. According to the U.S. Office of Women’s Health, only four in 10 women actually meet the recommended daily physical activity guidelines. Despite the sea of dieting excuses, there are three top reasons women give when asked why they won’t increase their physical activity.

• Lack of time.
• Lack of access to convenient facilities.
• Lack of safe environments in which to be active.

Here are some tips on how you can boost energy, lose weight and feel better.

• Stop or reduce sedentary behaviors such as reducing the amount of time you watch television.
• Walk more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park further away from entrances when it is safe to do so.
• Add variety. Do not feel obligated to maintain the same exercise regimen each day. Change it up with walking, bicycling, strength exercises, aerobics or swimming.
• Break it up. If 30 minutes of exercise does not work for you, try breaking up the time and do 15 minutes at a time.
• Change your attitude. If you fear the treadmill, find an activity you enjoy such as walking outside or bicycling.
• Stop smoking.
• Track your progress. Keep a log of when you worked out, which activities you did, time spent doing the activity and how you felt while doing it.
• Set goals. Both short-term and long-term goals will help keep you on track.

Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise or diet program. This information is intended to be used as a guide only. Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing any diet and/or exercise program.