10 quick tips for exercising naturally

Here are ten quick ways to get a moderate level of activity without setting foot in a formal exercise environment. Each burns up to seven calories a minute; your goal is to get at least 10 minutes of sustained activity at a time.

This is in addition to any other walking you would do as part of your day.

• Commit to a pace slightly faster than your normal gait.
• Don't let weather stop you — light snow or misty rain is no excuse to stay home! If the weather is too challenging for an outdoor walk, then hit the shopping mall — only no window-shopping. Hoof it from one end to the other with no stops at the food court.
• You'll find that your daily walk not only strengthens your body but is also a great way to relax, think, and socialize.

Ballroom dancing, line dancing, folk dancing, ballet, and even disco or other forms of modern dance are fabulous endurance exercises.

Who knew? But an intense game of table tennis gets your heart rate up, increases the amount of oxygen going to your lungs and brain, and provides all the other amazing benefits of aerobic physical activity.

Got some extra time on your hands? How about volunteering to coach a youth soccer or baseball team?

• In addition to the fun you'll have and the appreciation you'll garner, you'll also get an unexpected workout at least twice a week (more if you call more practices!).

Try throwing a Frisbee or teaching them how to play badminton.

• Heck, dance around the living with them for 10 minutes.

Many parks offer canoes or rowboats for rent, and rowing at a moderate pace of less than 4 miles per hour provides the moderate workout you need.

We're not talking at a gallop, although that's certainly something to build up to. But even a gentle trot or canter helps; you get an extra boost of physicality if you learn how to groom and saddle the horse.

Most communities have local theater groups that rely on volunteers for their talent.

• Singing while moving, as in walking across the stage, provides a moderate level of activity.

For a cleaner house and a healthier you, get down on your hands and knees to scrub the floor, hang laundry out on a clothesline, and wash the windows yourself instead of calling someone to do it.

• All will provide a good, moderate workout with a bonus at the end: a sparkling house.

Maybe you're beyond the over-40 soccer team, but what about the local softball team? Or a doubles tennis team? Even joining a bowling team will provide a decent-enough workout once or twice a week.

Keep these tips in mind and incorporate some moderate exercise into your daily routine. You may be surprised by how easy it is to keep up with a healthy lifestyle!