The American Heart Association suggests that recording the amount of time you spend sitting down may well serve as a good motivator to get up and do something about your level of fitness. Try it for a day - there are 16 half-hour periods a day when you're not at work or asleep. What do you do with that time?

The average person spends 3 to 4 hours a day watching television. Now that it's summertime - the season of TV re-runs - substitute exercise for some of that inactivity. Instead of a half-hour TV show, spend that time taking a bike ride around the neighborhood, walking the dog, or doing some other form of exercise.

Related information Lifestyle changes: Exercise