Everyday fitness tips

Working up a sweat in the gym twice a week is all very well, but if you spend most of your time sitting at a desk you need to do a little extra to see results. There are plenty of everyday ways you can supplement your exercise regime

Many of us work behind desks and have little time for organised exercise but you don't have to sign up for the marathon to get more active.

At home

Hoovering and dusting
A hard hoovering session can prove to be a great workout for you biceps, triceps, legs and upper back. In fact, take any household cleaning task, put some welly into it and you'll be surprised just how much you are exerting yourself.

Watching TV
Hide the remote control. Getting up and out of your seat to change the channel is a good first step. Using commercials to punctuate some physical activity is easy and doesn't mean you have to miss out on the programme. Mini sets of sit-ups or press-ups are easy to perform during the ad breaks and require no additional equipment.

Make use of time and space
Think of exercising at home as a viable alternative to going to the gym. Indeed, you can stay in trim (and save money) by doing basic exercises in the comfort of your living room. Try fitting in an aerobics or yoga DVD when you have a spare 10 minutes or commit to a basic, albeit regular, workout that you stick to each day.

For example, if you do 10 sit-ups and 10 press-ups (which really isn't that much) every day, you'll soon see and feel the difference, without sacrificing large chunks of your precious spare time.

Out and about

Getting from A to B
Changing your mode of transportation is one of the easiest ways to get more active. Try cycling or (shock, horror!) walking instead of using the car. And the old trick of getting off the train or bus a stop early is always a winner.

Riding on the train or bus
Remember trying to ride your bike with no hands? Well this is a similar theory. For a far more entertaining commute see if you can make it from one stop to the next without holding onto anything, or anyone for that matter.

This will force you to activate your core muscles (abdominals, back, pelvic floor and hips) in order to obtain your balance and give you a solid little workout into the bargain.

At work

Sitting at your desk
Do you have a fit ball gathering dust at home? Well dust it off and bring it to work. As well as activating the core muscles, using a stability ball will improve your posture (try sitting on it with crossed legs and you'll soon see what I mean).

Of course, you must be prepared to receive some ridicule for this at first but I can guarantee you'll be surprised how quickly the idea catches on.

Some more top tips

• Select the far away printer
• Take the stairs, not the lift
• With summer here, go to the park instead of the pub
• Try a roller disco instead of a nightclub
• Head to the high street instead of the shopping centre (more shopping yards covered).

The philosophy is about incorporating more activity when and where you can and not restricting fitness to the gym or sports club.

It's about finding any little ways to get more active and if that means space hopper parties in the office or a hard days shopping, then so be it!