You don’t have to be psychic to realize that couch potatoes forecast a somewhat depressing future. If you spend a lot of time lazing around in front of the television then you’re probably reasonably unfit, and you may find that over time it becomes harder to move around and get basic tasks done.

Fortunately, you don’t have to commit yourself to a life of takeaways and searching for the remote while your cholesterol suffers and your stomach grows larger – you can find the light with the right exercises.

You may not become a prize-winning athlete within a matter of days, but committing to a few easy fitness solutions could be enough to completely transform yourself and take control of your life. Here are just a few ways to get started:

1. Sitting to Standing

This is perhaps the simplest exercise out there for people who aren’t used to living an active lifestyle. All you have to do is simply go from a sitting position into a standing position ten times in a row. Give yourself a few seconds to rest, and then do another set of ten as often as you can. This exercise is ideal for working out the buttocks and the quadriceps in your thigh―helping you to get up and out of your chair as quickly as you might need to. What’s more, the repeated reps are great for quickening your pulse.

2. Stretch all of Your Major Muscle Groups

There’s a reason why stretching out your body first thing in the morning feels so good. This is because expanding the major muscle groups throughout your body such as the hamstrings, shoulders, neck, calf-muscles, glutes, and quadriceps all help to get you ready for an active day, and ensure that you don’t end up with unwanted aches and injuries. Try stretching your calves to elongate your stride and reduce the risk of foot injuries, or balance on one leg to work your glutes.

3. Look for Excuses to Exercise

After you’ve stretched your body properly, you should aim to do as little as twenty minutes of exercise each day. Even that small workout could be enough to change your life and improve your wellbeing. Instead of taking the train or the subway to work, or hopping into the car every time you need to take a short trip somewhere, try walking or cycling instead. The more you commit yourself to finding excuses to exercise, the more you’ll begin to see your fitness level increase, your happiness improve, and you will just feel better all day long. You can also save some money as well. A bike is pretty cheap to maintain.

4. Couch Pushups

A wonderful workout for your arms and chest, these pushups can be done by simply facing a couch and kneeling on the floor about two feet away. Place your hands on the cushion edge and cross your ankles, then slowly bend your elbows and lower your upper body until you touch the cloth with your chest.

You can do all of this while watching/listening to your favorite TV shows or movies.

Written by Benjamin Roussey for bodono.

Benjamin Roussey is from Sacramento, CA. He has two master’s degrees and served four years in the US Navy. His bachelor’s degree is from CSUS (1999) where he was on a baseball pitching scholarship. He has an MBA in Global Management from the Univ. of Phoenix (2006) where he attributes his writing prowess. He has worked everywhere from small businesses to large corporations, and also for public agencies. He has lived in Korea and Saudi Arabia where he was an ESL instructor. He misses Saudi food and living in Korea. Benjamin has a tremendous work ethic and is quite focused. Now he writes professionally for several clients that covers one sector of our economy to another. Currently he lives in the Phoenix area after living in Cabo San Lucas, MX for 3 years. He enjoys sports, movies, reading, and current events when he is not working online: www.infinista.com.