July 16, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 15 Take action to beat the couch potato curse Diet and exercise make great bedfellows for those looking to live a healthier lifestyle. Healthy diet and regu- lar exercise make it easier to maintain a healthy weight while lowering the risk of various ailments, including heart disease and diabetes. A heightened awareness of what makes for a healthy diet and the increased availability of appropriate foods has helped many people smoothly transition to a healthier diet. However, many people still struggle to find time to exercise every day. Commitments to work and family can make it difficult to squeeze in regular workouts, and the call of the couch is often more appealing than a trip to the gym at the end of a long day juggling both personal and professional obligations. Because exercise is integral to a healthy lifestyle, it is important to ensure it is part of a daily routine. Finding free time is perhaps the biggest hurdle adults must clear when attempting to exercise more. Individu- als should track their daily schedules for a week or two, making note of down times when they might be able to squeeze in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise. Those who are spending their lunch hours catching up on personal e-mails or surfing the Internet may consider joining a gym near the office and turning those lunch hours into workouts. If possible, wake up a half hour earlier each day to squeeze in some time on the treadmill. Identifying down time within a daily schedule is the first step toward making better use of it. Make it a team effort. Daily exercise is not just good for adults; it’s great for kids, too. Parents looking to fit more physical activity into their daily routines should consider involving their children, many of whom are dealing with a fitness crisis of their own. According to a 2014 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, child- hood obesity has more than doubled in children and qua- drupled in adolescents over the last three decades, putting youngsters at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes, bone and joint problems, and sleep apnea. Parents can make daily exercise a family affair, which increases the time they spend with their children while ensuring their kids stay fit. Those without children can make daily exercise a team effort by working out with a friend or significant other. The buddy system often proves motivation, encouraging individuals to exercise even on those days when the couch is calling. Make exercise more interesting. Many workout rou- tines fall by the wayside because they do not engage par- ticipants, no matter how motivated they are to lose weight. An hour on the treadmill can seem like an eternity to cer- tain people, who can benefit by choosing workout rou- tines that are less monotonous. For example, Zumba is a combination of dance and aerobic exercise that is growing in popularity. In lieu of spending an hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine, Zumba participants get a challeng- ing cardiovascular workout that many find more fun than traditional aerobic exercise thanks to the incorporation of dance. For those without such happy feet, bring a tablet to the gym and catch up on favorite television shows or a good book during those cardiovascular routines. The more interesting the workout routine, the more likely a person will be to find time for that routine every day. Choose an accessible routine. When planning a work- out, make it as accessible as possible. While sports like kayaking and mountain bike racing make for great exer- cise, such activities are not readily accessible to many working professionals with busy schedules. Join a gym that is close to home, or purchase some gym equipment and set it up at home. The call of the couch can be difficult to ignore, but the side effects of a sedentary lifestyle can be grave, so individuals should work to find ways to include exercise in their daily routines.