Whenever I ask my friends and family how things are going, they always tell me good, but busy. In this day and age it seems like everyone is running off their feet and in twenty different directions. The average pace of many people is that of lightening speed.

With these busy lifestyles, few adults, especially those with families can afford to take the time necessary to go to the neighbourhood gym on a regular basis. Heck, even if it’s within a short distance, we’re talking about several hours commitment per session. You say, who has time for that?

Still, we all need to recognize that exercise is vital to our health. If we avoid it we will run into problems. In fact, if you sit and name 10 random medical conditions, I will bet you that some form of regular exercise is a good treatment or preventative measure for at least 8 of them. Diet and exercise show up as treatments and preventative measures in so many ailments that affect us today, and both of these areas are a good place to focus on if your concerned about your health and you wealth. Yes, the better we look after ourselves, the better we will look after our money too. We won’t have to spend it on medial bills. So, you ask,  what kinds of exercises can you do that don’t take a ton of time?

Well, to start, I want to mention walking. Even just some simple walking for exercise can go a long way to improving your health. Walking for exercise is fun, easy , and is a great stress reducer. I happen to walk to work every day and I find it a great release. I get that time to unwind from the day and decompress and take in some fresh air. I also get my body limber after sitting all day. Plus, I don’t need any equipment for it either so it is nice on my wallet.

Another idea is that of home gym equipment. Now I am not talking about equipment that fills up full rooms; I am talking about something that can be done in the comfort and privacy and convenience of your own home. My husband and I, who like to focus on strength and cardio, have a set of resistance bands that we bought on ebay. Each bag weighs less than 5 pounds and they are extremely portable because they are small and compact. We get a full body workout from them.  We use videos to get our cardio in which we also got online. That way, after working a full day, we can come home and work out for 30 minutes in the comfort of our home without having to waste time driving to and from the gym. Plus it is way cheaper than a gym membership.  Basically, the idea of home gym equipment is not suppose to be overwhelming, instead something that will save you hours of time and allow the exercise program that you desire right from your own home in a timely manner.

The other great thing with walking, a method I mentioned earlier, is that you can do it anywhere. You have absolutely no excuse for not getting up and walking around for at least 30 minutes a day. If it is raining out, grab an umbrella. If you’re travelling, get a local map to show you the streets. Seriously, just get out for a short walk around the block a couple of times; even that will help.

Walking is an extremely low impact sport, so anyone of any age can do it safely . Even if you are recovering from an injury or surgery, you can still walk without worrying about hurting yourself. Running and other forms of exercise are beneficial too but I don’t recommend trying them until you are considered to be in decent shape. In fact, studies have shown that walking is just as beneficial as running, you just need to do it for longer. You honestly can’t hurt yourself by walking too much.

Walking can be done solo or with a partner and can be done anywhere at any time. Strength training is the same. You can do body weight exercises such as push ups and squats  anywhere,  anytime.

With so many benefits and virtually no cons, you can’t go wrong with walking and some strength training to get yourself  in shape. It’s only drawback is that it takes time to do, but not a lot, just 30 minutes a day, and trust me, it’s worth it. Your health and longevity are just as important as your bank balance.