Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • February 5, 2014 Finding time for fitness: Here’s how to fit it in Finding time to exercise is no small feat for many people. Obligations at home and at work can make it hard to fit in a workout -- a familiar quandary for men and women with multiple commitments. Though it’s not always easy to fit in a workout when juggling multiple respon- sibilities, men and women must consider the responsibility they have with regard to maintaining their physical and mental health . The United States Department of Health and Human Services advises that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vig- orous aerobic activity, and that such activ- ity should be spread out over the course of the week. In addition, the DHHS advises that healthy adults include strength training exercises in their workout regimens at least twice a week. Such a workout schedule can improve both physical and mental health, making it easier for individuals to handle their hectic schedules. While such recommendations may seem manageable, many men and women still feel as if there is just not enough time in the day for them to incorporate a daily exercise regimen. The following are a few ways to find time for fitness. Take a walking lunch. Many profession- als have heard of a “working lunch,” but those strapped for time to exercise might want to take a walking lunch. Rather than sitting at a desk or in your favorite booth at a nearby restaurant on your lunch hour each day, consider squeezing in some time to walk during those 30 to 60 minutes you normally spend eating or catching up with coworkers. Invite a few coworkers along, walking to and from a favorite restaurant or finding a nearby park and going for a quick walk. This is an easy way to squeeze in the recommended 30 minutes of moder- ate aerobic activity each day, and you will no doubt feel more energized after lunch than if you had simply eaten without exer- cising. Exercise in the morning. Research has shown that men and women who exercise in the mornings exercise on a more consis- tent basis than those who exercise later in the day, including after leaving the office at the end of the workday. When exercis- ing in the early morning hours, men and women are less likely to encounter sched- uling conflicts, as coworkers, colleagues, and even the kids will likely still be asleep. That means fewer interrupted or missed workouts. Prepare meals ahead of time. If work- ing out in the morning simply won’t work, consider planning meals in advance to free up time between the office and dinner each night. For example, slow cookers and crockpots make it possible to start making dinner in the early morning and require little or no effort once you arrive home in the evening. Plan to cook a few meals each week in a slow cooker, which will free up time for you to exercise when you would otherwise be preparing dinner. Work while you workout. Smartphones and tablets have made it easier than ever to get work done while you are away from work. This includes getting some work done while you are getting in your weekly recommended aerobic activity on the treadmill, elliptical machine, or exercise bike. Thanks to smartphones and tablets, you can now read and answer e-mails and work on some projects while you exer- cise. Get off the couch. Many men and women prefer to unwind on the couch as they catch up on their favorite television shows and movies. But such unwinding should not come at the expense of working out. Much like catching up on work at the gym, you also can catch up on your favor- ite shows and movies while at the gym. Many smartphones and tablets now have apps that allow users to access subscription streaming services, so users who can’t find time to exercise should take advantage of such apps and watch their favorite shows and movies from the treadmill instead of the couch. Readers who can comfortably read while exercising can follow a similar route and read on the elliptical instead of sitting in a chair as they make their way through the latest best-seller. Finding time to exercise can be diffi- cult, but even the busiest men and women have several options at their disposal as they attempt to make fitness a bigger pri- ority in their lives.