by Stephanie Nickel

If you’re like me, this time of year seems to be especially busy. So, just what can we do to get in that exercise and eat well?

1. Take the stairs—two at a time if you’re in a hurry and your knees are up for it.

2. Go for a walk in the evening with your spouse, your kids, and/or a friend or two. It’s a great way to wind down from the day, reconnect, and re-energize if you have more to do.

3. Take your bike out of storage, give it a good once-over, and use it for running errands rather than driving everywhere.

4. If you do take a TV break, do some exercises while watching. (I keep hand-weights in the living room and an exercise mat and stability ball not too far away as well.)

5. If you’re putting in gardens, be especially conscious of the need to change positions often and stretch out your muscles before they start to seize up.

6. If you spend most of your day sitting, remember to get up and move around regularly. If you have the luxury of working in a private office, you may want to include some squats, some lunges, some stretches, etc.

7. Keep a large container of water close at hand. Now that the weather is getting warmer, at least in my neck of the woods, I don’t mind drinking more water. I’m not a huge fan of doing so when the cold winds are blowing.

8. Instead of succumbing to the temptation of Tim Horton’s Ice Capps and other such drinks to cool off, get into the habit of preparing delicious smoothies. They taste better and are actually good for you. There are plenty of recipes online and even entire “cookbooks” of nothing but smoothie recipes.

9. While you’re waiting for the local farmers’ market to re-open (and I personally can’t wait), seek to purchase organically-grown, local, greenhouse produce. (Truth be told, I don’t always buy organic, but it is something I’m seriously considering.)

10. It’s barbeque season for many of us. (Last year I bought my hubby a pan in which to barbeque veggies. Maybe this year we’ll actually get it out and use it.)

11. Look for easy, nutritious recipes that use a minimum of ingredients. (My son and his girlfriend were here in March to celebrate my hubby’s 60th. They prepped a couple of meals for us. One included the simplest, and perhaps the yummiest, sweet potato recipe ever. Cut potatoes into ¼-inch slices. Lightly toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 for approximately eight minutes per side. Voila! They are amazing. I’ve made them three times since.)

12. It’s the perfect time of year to begin making summery, easy-to-prepare meals. Hunt up some interesting recipes and give it a go.

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We’re never really too busy to add healthy options to our day. (tweet this)

Check out other articles by Stephanie

4 Tips to Get Exercise in During the Day

What to do when Life Gets in the Way

12 Ways to Stay Active When You Have Company

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Steph Beth Nickel is an author, a freelance editor and writer, a labour doula, and a former personal trainer.