At CafeMom, a blogger posted about how she has no time to exercise. She said her doctor raised a questioning eyebrow but she swears that between work, kids and home commitments there is zero time left to exercise.

I don't think there are too many moms who wouldn't sympathize with that; motherhood is a ridiculously busy game. But no time to exercise? I don't buy it.


Taking care of your health has to be a priority in your life. And if you're overwhelmed with other commitments, then it's time to reevaluate to see what can be adjusted or eliminated. Here are a few ideas:

• Family workouts. Choose exercise options that the whole family can do -- hiking, biking, or even a walk around the neighborhood.
  
• Child-friendly gyms. Find a gym with a child care facility. You can get your workout in while your kids are safe and close by.
• Skip the sidelines. If you attend your child's sporting practices, go for a jog or a brisk walk during the practice. You may be able to get some of the other kids' parents to join you, too.
• Listen to the tried and true. The standard pieces of advice -- get up a half hour early to exercise and work out during your lunch hour -- are often repeated because they really do work.

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our That's Fit fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz. Quick question: I'm 37 and trying to get in better shape. I've already started eating better and exercising, but I don't know exactly how much I should do. I'm busy, but I can make a decent amount happen based on your recommendations. Thanks for the help, Angel

A. Hi Angel. Great question. I was just talking about this today at a speaking engagement, so I'll tell you what I told that large group I held captive. I believe when you hear my answer you'll be shocked at how little you're actually being asked to do.

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For the first time, ever, my husband and I are both trying to lose weight, and I am amazed at how much easier it is to eat healthfully and find time for a workout when I have a partner in crime. I knew having a workout buddy was helpful -- I take full advantage any time one of my friends goes on a fitness kick -- but having the person with whom you live share your goals? It's phenomenal.

Of course, that's not always possible -- sometimes, you have to seek out a workout partner. And, if you're in the process of looking for a new one, Go Healthy Go Fit has three tips for finding the right one.

For one thing, look for someone with a similar schedule -- I've gotten some great midday workouts in with a friend who also works from home. Then, make sure you have the same goals, whether those goals are weight loss, running faster or gaining muscle. Finally, make sure you're both equally dedicated -- it's no fun if one of you is constantly forcing the other one to work out!

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Last night, I went to sleep around 11:30 only to wake up at 3:00 AM. Darn insomnia. For me, sleep is as elusive as the Loch Ness monster. It's a bummer, too, because sleep is so important for health. Not only does it directly affect your energy level, a good night's rest can also help you manage your weight, and research now shows that skipping sleep can harden your arteries.

If you're like me and sleep doesn't come easy, try these tips:

• Exercise regularly, but not within three hours of bedtime.
  
• Don't eat or drink a lot before bed.
• Stick to a schedule, and try to go to bed at roughly the same time each night.
• Make your bedroom restful by turning out all the lights, keeping the TV and radio off and maybe investing in a white noise machine (or using something like a quiet fan or air purifier for white noise).
• Relax before bedtime with a bath, a book or anything else that calms you. Avoid the computer and TV right before bed as they can be stimulating.

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The Obama family has a Christmas tradition of visiting the President-elect's home state of Hawaii. This year is no exception. And, while Barack Obama is ridiculously busy selecting cabinet members and preparing for his transition to the White House, I'm glad to see he's keeping a family tradition intact.

Daily Mail has a photo snapped of President-elect Obama while on vacation, and he's looking kind of ripped. Not surprising, really. We already knew how important fitness is to the Obama family. What is surprising is when you scroll down the Daily Mail article and see the photo of Barack Obama that was taken on his vacation last year.

When you compare his abs from 2007 to 2008, it appears that in the midst of his hectic and stressful campaign, Barack Obama has toned up. Whatever your opinion of our up and coming President is, you have to admit that's inspirational. If he can find the time to get more fit while campaigning to be President of the United States, than surely the rest of us can find time, too. And, as Barack Obama certainly knows, physical activity is the healthiest way to manage your stress level.

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Busy parents hit the ground running in the morning. But between kids, school, work, chores, and other obligations, they can have trouble finding time to do the kind of running they'd really love to do ... the kind that happens on a treadmill or a quiet trail.

Fitness may be one of the first things parents cut out of a busy schedule, but good health is important even when time is at a premium. Help the busy moms and dads in your life stay invested in their own personal health with these holiday fit gifts for busy parents on the go.

Pressed for time? Try one of these ideas for exercising when time is tight.

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When it comes to exercise, a lot of people have good intentions. But sometimes those intentions get pushed behind other commitments. Sound familiar? I know I'm guilty of procrastinating on exercise from time to time. On an Oprah.com survey, exercise and diet were two activities people frequently reported putting off until later. If you're guilty of it too, try these three ways to stop procrastinating:

• Outsmart yourself. If, after getting home from work, you frequently skip your exercise session because of bills, household chores, or other commitments, try stopping at the gym on the way home. Or change into workout clothes before you leave the office and go for a walk or run as soon as you get home (don't even get the mail or go in the house first).
• Build on your success. If you're good at certain things -- such as handling the demands of your job -- try to find ways to make exercise as important. For example, if you place a high priority on work because others are counting on you to get your job done, consider joining a team sport. Your teammates will count on you to be at practices and games -- it's a lot harder to put off exercise when others are waiting for you.
• Take a good look at yourself. Put a photo of yourself when you were looking and feeling great on your fridge or desktop and take a frequent look in the mirror. It's not narcissism, it's a reality check. Keeping tabs on yourself will make you want to be active and get (or keep) your body in peak condition.

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Day 5: My three-year-old doesn't like our new routine. As we headed out for our third trip to the school for the day, she stood in the driveway, stomping her feet. "We always walk EVERYWHERE," she shouted at me. I thought about correcting her. After all, we've only been walking everywhere for five days, not "always," but then I remembered who I was dealing with. So I opened the garage door and pulled out the wagon instead.

In all honesty, I'm beginning to feel the same way. Though I love all the extra physical activity we're all getting -- and it's paid off in helping me over a weight loss plateau -- it takes planning and time to walk everywhere. Twenty minutes for each trip to school -- that's an hour out of my day. After dinner, we walk to an extra-curricular activity -- another 30 minute round trip.

Of course, on the flip side is the fact that I got an hour and a half of physical activity in, enough that I don't feel the need to do a cardio workout. So maybe it all balances out in the end.

Running short on time? Try your best not to let a full schedule interfere with your workout. You should schedule your exercise time and give it high priority on your to-do list. Don't look at your workout as something you can take or leave at your convenience. The fact is that staying fit and healthy will help you manage the rest of your chores more effectively -- you'll have more energy to be on the go, go, go.

But we all have those days where we just can't squeeze in a long workout routine. When there's just no way a real workout will work, try a quick 15-minute routine. AOL Health has a great 15-minute strength training routine. Or, if you'd rather, you can design your own workout.

• 10 minutes of cardio. Pick a convenient cardio activity that you can do almost anywhere and with minimal equipment. Walking, running, and jumping rope are all good options.
  

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I used to be vigilant about exercising every morning... and it felt great. I started my day out with energy and a sense of accomplishment. After adopting my son, however, my schedule has changed and my morning exercise has become sporadic at best. I've vowed to get back on the bandwagon when he returns to school next week, though. Our schedule will be changing naturally -- so it's a good time for me to get my morning self in gear again.

Divine Caroline offers some great inspiration with five reasons to start the day with a workout:

• Better performance at work.
  
• A metabolism boost throughout the day.
• A better night's sleep.
• Increased likelihood to stick with it.
• A happier outlook.

Check out the original article for details. Then, set that alarm clock a little bit earlier and get your move on in the am.

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I, for one, know that it's a struggle to fit my day into the number of hours I'm awake. Between work and bills and chores and spending time with my son, there just isn't a spare minute left. It's important to carve out time for exercise even in the busiest of schedules. But if you find that you aren't exercising as much as you'd like, try finding ways to multitask.

Fitsugar has some great multitasking ideas for fitting squats into your day. Loading the dishwasher? Squat instead of bending at the waist. The same method can be used when pulling clothes from the dryer. Will you look a little silly doing squats while doing chores? Yep. You absolutely will look a little ridiculous. But, who cares? If anyone chuckles at your unusual moves, just wait until you've got killer thighs from all those squats and see who's laughing then.

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My daughter has surpassed 30 pounds. And it's a good thing, because if it weren't for her whining to be carried, I wouldn't be getting any strength training in these days. As for aerobics, walking to and from the rec center twice a week for my kid's swim classes has been my only so-called workout recently.

These waning days of summer are always tough, right? The heat. The kids' boredom. The heat. The vacations. The needing a vacation from your vacation. The heat. I'm more apt to end up toasting cold brews with neighbors outside at 5 o' clock than working in any sort of workout this time of year.

I think the best thing I can do at this point is start plotting my fall schedule to get back on the wagon. And it will be easier, don't you think? We dread September in so many ways. End of summer. End of fun. Back to school. Back to schedules. But I think we need to get back to schedules. There's a reason we have them. They force us to do the things we need to do. Like working in the workouts. You with me?

Travelling this summer? Anticipating jet lag? You might be surprised to hear that new research suggests that a great way to cure jet lag is by skipping meals

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Think about it: When was the last time you worked out? For some, it was today. But for a number of you, your last workout happened a while ago.

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