Walking the Walk - The Verdict

It's time to decide -- is this a healthy habit that can be realistically worked into day-to-day life?

• Piece of cake! I can definitely work this into my daily routine.
• Not my cup of tea. This is harder than I imagined. Still, I plan to stick with it and do my best.
• Nuts! This seems nearly impossible to keep up. But I'll definitely do it whenever possible.

Let me count the number of ways that I loved this week: I never felt pressured to get in a 30-minute workout, I never felt guilty because I couldn't fit in a 30-minute workout and I actually got 30 minutes of exercise each day.

I big, fat, puffy-heart loved this week.

I'm definitely an all-or-nothing thinker, so not getting in a workout when things get hectic can quickly derail me. But on days when a workout just isn't possible, squeezing in 10 minutes of activity here and there almost always is. This, I think, is the solution to my workout excuses.

That said, I don't think that -- in the long-run, anyway -- this should replace my workout routine. Being more active in general is always a good idea, and I think that exercising this way can fill in the gaps during days or even weeks when I don't have time for regular workouts. But to really get physically fit, I think that a regular, well-rounded routine is important too.

Besides being a good stop-gap for days you can't exercise, I also think that exercising in 10 minute spurts can be a good method for people who are just getting started with exercising. It's less overwhelming, and studies have even shown that people who exercise this way do so more consistently.

Let me say it one more time: If you have trouble with exercising on a regular basis, try this.