We live our lives like penned animals in a cage. Though our bodies are built to move, we often put ourselves in an immobile state. Our bodies are designed for running across the grasslands, yet we live a sedentary lifestyle with movements confined from the bed to the breakfast table; to the car seat; to the office chair; to the restaurant booth; to the living room couch and back to the bed.

The truth is, it was not meant to be this way. Some years back in the United States, a man who worked on a farm did the equivalent of 15 miles of jogging every day; and his wife did the equivalent of 7 miles of jogging.

Unfortunately today, our daily obligations of work and home keep us tied to our chairs. If we want exercise, we have to actively seek it out.

Health experts have noted that obesity problem is probably caused at least as much by lack of physical activity as by eating too much. Hence, it is important that people need to move around.

But this does not mean that a lap or two around the old high school track will compensate a daily dose of donuts. You might not know this but exercises alone is not very efficient in losing weight, experts say. Studies show that if you just exercise and do not change your diet, you may be able to prevent any more weight gain. But it will only lead to the loss of a few pounds if any.

But the problem is that exercises are not something that you are likely to sustain unless they are a part of an overall program. This means that the more regularly you exercise, the easier it is to maintain your weight. Below are somethings you can do every day to make sure that you get the exercises you need.

First you need to get quality sleep. Experts have pointed out that good sleep habits are a great compliment to exercise, . Obviously if you feel worn out during the day, you are less likely to get much physical activity during the day.

In addition, there is evidence that people who are tired tend to eat more, using food as a substance for the rest they need.

Secondly is to consider walking if you have not been exercising. Walking is probably the easiest exercise program of all. In fact, it may be all you ever have to do, according to some professional advices of some health experts.

Progressively building up to at least 30 minutes of brisk walking five times a week can lead to great results. Brisk walks themselves have health and psychological benefits that are well worth the while.

As a third point you should really consider having a treadmill in the house. Usually when the weather is bad, you might not feel like going outdoors. But if you have a treadmill in the television room, you can catch up on your favorite shows while you are doing your daily good turn for your weight-maintenance plan.

You most likely watch television anyway, so an indoor exercise equipment like a treadmill enables anyone to turn a sedentary activity into a healthy walk. Pretty neat huh.

Lastly, realize that the best time to lose weight is now. It is true that lack of time is certainly a limiting factor in most lifestyles. That is why health experts suggest a basic guideline for incorporating exercise into your schedule.

Get as much exercise as you can that feels good without letting it interfere with your work or family life. If you need to, remind yourself that you are preventing many health problems when you prevent weight gain; and keeping your health is a gift to your family as well as yourself.