Neuberger suggests making an agreement not to watch television or read your book until you've done your exercise. That way you feel like you have a reward waiting at the end. Occupational therapist Marureen Gecht of the University of Illinois in Chicago has been teaching arthritis exercise since 1987. She tells of a woman who wanted to start a walking program, but didn't enjoy walking without a destination. She made it her practice to walk to a fruit stand a certain distance from her home, buy some fruit, and then walk home.
Many people claim they're too busy to fit exercise into their schedules.
But the reality is you don't need that much time to get the benefits of regular exercise - most people just don't make it a priority. You can fit exercise into your day in small ways. For example, when you go to the grocery store, push an empty cart around the store for five to 10 minutes before you start shopping. Or take a walk around the parking lot at work during your lunch hour or scheduled break. If you can't spare a big block of time all at once, try working in 15 minutes of exercise twice a day, suggests Maureen Gecht.