The hardest part about getting in shape or staying in shape is actually getting yourself to the gym or getting the motivation to do a workout at home.  These tips, while not a substitute, are good ways to work your body out without having to do all that pesky exercise.

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I think I am with the majority of people who hate going to the gym.  I guess I don't really hate it because after I get my workout in, I feel a lot better.  It's just getting the motivation to go that is the hardest part.  It's all discipline, you either have it or you don't.  So many people in America are in such bad shape and that can lead to big problems down the line like diabetes and heart disease.

Motivation isn't the only thing that keeps people from the gym.  A lot of you are very busy and the last thing you want to do before or after work is exercise, believe I know how you feel.  Plus a gym membership can be pretty expensive, so I have found some really cool tips that will help you burn calories without even breaking a sweat.  Too good to be true?  Nope, there are a bunch of things you do on a daily basis that will help supplement your exercise routine.

Substitute your desk chair for a balance ball:
I have never done this before but I have heard of people doing it.  My girlfriend tells me that a lot of the women she works with do this often as a way to work out their core while doing their normal workday stuff.

Cooking at home:
Not just eating healthy will benefit your waistline, but doing all the work in the kitchen as well.  According to the Yahoo health article, all the prep you do to make the food burns a ton of calories.  They also suggest using metabolism boosting ingredients, such as lean turkey, hot peppers, oat meal and broccoli.  Also limit your take out orders to two times  a week.  A lot of bad stuff in take out you can avoid by making it yourself.

Skip the elevator and escalator:
If stairs are available, take them!  Just by walking up a couple flights of stairs a day you could be burning off enough calories to lose 6 pounds a year! That's without even setting foot in a gym so imagine doing that and working out.  You would be well on your way to a better you.

Listen I am by no means any kind of exercise expert, but I do workout (reluctantly) and am always looking for other ways to build muscle and burn fat.  If you want some more tips on how to workout with the work you can check out the article by Shine on Yahoo.

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