With the plethora of commitments pertaining to work, money and family most people have going on in the majority of their days it’s no surprise that working out and getting healthy and fit is the thing that falls to the bottom of the pile more often than not.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t actually need to make the hour and a half trip to the gym five days a week to start seeing some significant changes for the better where your triceps, biceps and quadriceps are concerned! Make the following small but effective four tips and tricks a part of your daily routine, and start seeing results faster than you could imagine!

1. Start strengthening where you least expect it: There’s nothing to say you can’t keep a pair of three-to-five pound weights on your desk with which to do a few repetitions of dead lifts and arm curls for five minutes when returning from your lunch break. Similarly, try adding in a set of lunges here and there while you’re in the process of making dinner and waiting for the oven to preheat. The trick here is to do unobtrusive exercise (laying on the floor to do crunches may work in some workplaces, but not most), and as many reps as possible as many times throughout the day. Look to resources like Shape.com to find the right exercises to target the places you want to tone.

2. Get some fresh air: Get off the subway two stops before your destination and you’ve added 2 kilometres of cardiovascular exercise to your day - do the same thing on the way back and that’s 4 kilometres, which averages out to approximately 350 calories burned that day (based on the average North American female’s height/weight) simply from walking! If you have time constraints during the day and can’t do this, head out on a 30 minute stroll in the evening with your partner or a friend instead of plopping down to watch more bad auditions on American Idol. You’ll be back in time for the good singing, and will have done something good for yourself in the process!

3. Wake up and smell the food!: According to a recent study done by GlaxoSmithKline, 25% of Americans eat too fast for their taste buds to even register the food being consumed. Slow down and enjoy the flavour, aroma and presentation of your next meal, and it will give your stomach the time to let your brain know when it’s happy and satisfied.

4. Have fun: Aerobic exercise doesn’t have to make you feel like a hamster spinning around in a wheel in a sweaty gym! Head over to the dollar store and pick up skipping ropes for your whole family, and have a contest a few times a week as to who can keep skipping to your favourite songs for longest! It's guaranteed to get your heart rate up and put a smile on your face.

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Are there any other little tips and tricks you have for being more health-conscious without breaking the bank or taking up too much time in your busy schedule? I'd love to hear your thoughts!