To most of us, having regular physical activity is not a priority.  We think of it as a time-consuming activity and neglect to make it as a part of our daily routine.  But even with our busy schedule, we can still get needed exercise and keep ourselves fit by using odd moments during the day while spending seconds waiting for a traffic light, using the phone or standing in line.

Every day there are bound to be intervals when you have a few seconds to spare and do some helpful exercises. They can make a tremendous difference. Pull in your stomach. Pull up your chin. Wriggle. Yawn. Stretch. Do these exercises when going from one place to another. Weave them into the day’s routine. Take regular exercise which is a daily drill that becomes as much a part or your life as combing your hair..

You may want to try a few seconds of exercise yourself every day. At night in bed, stretch all over slowly and luxuriously, like a cat. Then start at your toes and work up to eyelids and scalp, tensing each muscle for a moment, then relaxing it. You’ll probably be almost asleep when you finish.

In the morning, a simple breathing exercise can help rouse you and clear out cobwebs. As you lie half-awake, take the deepest breath you can; fill your lungs with air. Then close your mouth, pinch your nose and lie still. Time it, and you’ll be amazed to find that you can hold your breath without discomfort for twice as long as usual. And when you finally let your breath out, you’ll find yourself wide awake.

Now you can limber up before getting out of bed. Lie on your back and stretch your arms overhead till you feel the pull all the way down to your waist. Hold them there a moment; then drop them limply. Next, kick the covers off and raise your legs. Then lower them but don’t let your heels quite touch the bed. Repeat this several times. At first you’ll feel a strain on your stomach muscles, but after a few days your midsection will begin to firm up.

While dressing, stand on one foot as you put on your shoe and tie the shoelaces. You may have to start by putting your foot in the shoe on the floor and leaning against a wall while tying the laces. However you do it, daily repetitions will tighten your stomach and give you stronger, suppler legs and feet.

When you think about it, you’ll be surprised to notice how many brief periods of idleness there are in your day; riding to work, waiting at a counter for a clerk’s attention, sitting at your desk or standing by or lying down on the couch between chores. Put some life into those intervals!

If you want to firm a flabby chin, you can. Push your chin out, pull it back, drop it, and lift it. Then give yourself a five-second massage under the jaw. To tone the muscles around your midriff, draw your abdomen up and in whenever you think of it, whether sitting or standing. At the phone, instead of doodling, use your free hand to knead your belly or give it a gentle pummeling. You’d be surprised how this tightens the torso muscles.

For spine-straightening, stand with your back to a wall and try to push firmly up against it so you’re touching from head to heels – buttocks, shoulder blades, if possible every vertebra. You’ll feel a strong pull along your backbone and neck. This also helps to improve posture, get rid of aches in back or neck and make you feel alive all over.

The heel stretch is a favorite of health experts for use while sitting at a desk or table. You need not get out of your chair to do it. Just lift your feet and push the heels forward as if trying to push a wall away. Bring your toes up so you feel the muscles at the back of your knee pulling like a rope.

All you need to do is use your muscles correctly as you go through your daily chore whether you’re at home or at work - picking up something from the floor, for example. Don’t spraddle your legs and bend. Put one foot forward and kneel erectly. Or, when it’s a light object, keep your knees stiff and reach straight down. For variety, squat and rise like a jack-in-the-box; it tightens flabby legs.

When you must wait in line, teeter on your toes a few times to avoid foot and leg muscle cramps. Put your hands in your pockets and clench and unclench the fingers to get the blood speeded up. Take a whopper of a breath and see how far you can expand your belt. Deep-breathing exercises should be employed every day. When you go up stairs, climb slowly with head and chest high and stomach muscles tight. If you can, walk up two steps at a time, or even three.

Basically, there are nine important exercises which we are advised by health experts to take every day in doses of a few seconds at a time:

1. Stretch – while sitting, lying or standing.
2. Straighten your spine – while standing with your back against something straight such as the wall.
3. Roll your neck – up, down and around.
4. Suck in your stomach – while sitting or bending over.
5. Expand your chest - by holding your breath.
6. Flex your arms – by pushing, pulling and reaching.
7. Bend your legs – by squatting, climbing and walking.
8. Limber your toes and feet - while lying or sitting down.
9. Firm your muscles – by bouncing, pinching, kneading, and pummeling.

A little of each of these every day, and you’ll be slimmer, stronger and peppier. Try them to get great results!