First and foremost

The number one rule of getting and staying fit is to rework your schedule to fit in your fitness! I know it seems impossible, but once you sneak this into your day a few times, it'll just become part of your daily grind without any extra effort. And the best part is: this is the one part of your day you can be SURE is all yours. 20 minutes to an hour where no one can bother you. You've got your headphones on, the TV going or your nose in a book while you walk, run, bike, dance, etc., and no one else has to exist until you're done. It's probably the single best hour of my day. Not even kidding.

At first, I was happy just to get 15-20 minutes of cardio, uninterrupted cardio, into my routine. But especially when you're just starting, every little minute you can squeeze in makes a big difference. I promise.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Are you a gym member?
--> Head to the gym BEFORE you start your day. Get it out of the way before you get too busy to go! If it is the first thing you do, you can't forget to do it. BONUS: burning calories before breakfast jump starts your metabolism for the rest of the day, making you a calorie burning machine all day and night!

Have equipment at home?
-->dust off that old treadmill and put it in your living room, right in front of the TV! You can start walking, jogging or running while you watch your favorite shows and barely even notice you're working out until the episode is over and you realize you've run for a whole 30 minutes! My favorite: watching Say Yes to the Dress while on my elliptical. It really gets me excited to wear my wedding dress knowing how hard I'm working on my body. :)

No equipment in site?
-->Go for a morning walk BEFORE you shower and get ready for work. There's nothing so invigorating as a brisk morning walk as the sun rises. You can also make an even walk a family activity, and add extra calorie burning by playfully challenging your kids to race you home! Even if you know you can't go that fast, seeing them blaze ahead of you will give you a little extra push to keep up!

Fitness doesn't have to be another job, yet another part of your day that you dread. If fact, it can and should be the opposite. One of the most relaxing moments you can have. A true "me" moment, like pressing pause on your crazy schedule. It's amazing, once you get used to doing it every day. I'm addicted to these moments. No really; when I can't have my workout I feel like I'm missing something, and my stress levels go crazy. I need my me time. My body NEEDS my me time.

We all deserve it. So make a little room for yourself in your day, and when you start seeing the results in the mirror as well as in your mood, you'll wonder how you ever did without it!