You don’t need to train for a marathon. Exercise is anything that will make you breathe a little harder than you do at rest. It can be dancing, climbing stairs, hiking, or walking.

Do you work in an office? Try substituting sitting meetings with walk and talk meetings. You can also consider some standing exercises while in the office to stimulate oxygen/blood flow and your metabolism (such as squats, lunges, arm circles, or torso twists).

Do you have a dog? If you usually walk your dog only for the length of time it takes for him/her to go to the bathroom, try tacking on five more minutes to the walk. If you let your dog out four times a day, that’s already 20 minutes of exercise! Or, try alternating a brisk pace minute with a moderate pace minute while walking your dog.

Walk instead of drive to locations that are relatively close.

Join Fit4Mom or Stroller Warriors (if available).

Adults, like children, can benefit from developing bed-time routines. It’s a way to tell your body (and mind) that it is shutting down for the day, to relax and recover. Simple changes to your sleep routine can put you on track such as:

• Turn off screens (computers and phones) two hours before your bedtime and read a book instead.
• Listen to soothing or relaxing music to slow your body down.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks after 12 noon.
• Avoid alcohol.

It can seem like a daunting task to make big changes to your diet, especially if you think you don’t have time for meal planning. But you can make a few easy switches or small changes to see a big difference such as:

• Eat a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar for a sugar craving.
• Drink water instead of juice or soda or consider replacing one sugared drink with water.
• Drink an eight to ten-ounce glass of water before each meal.
• Make a “medium size” plate instead of a large plate.
• When at a restaurant, consider splitting your plate as soon as you receive it and put half in a take-out container for another day. This will help to minimize portion intake in one sitting.
• Consider eating “open faced” sandwiches or burgers by removing the bun or bread.