Get real: How to cram fitness into an over-packed schedule

We know, we know. You're busy. You've got kids. A full-time job. A dog that needs fresh kibble and a cat with an overly fragrant litter box. And what happened to that romantic date night you and your spouse had planned?

Sorry. We're tired of excuses.

Fitness is important. After all, how can you be there for your kids, your spouse, your pets and your employer if you're not healthy?

It's January, folks. Time to get cracking.

But honestly, how do you cram exercise into an already overpacked schedule?
We sat down with Dr. Mary Mirto, an Austin physician, to get some tough love on how to make fitness a realistic part of your lifestyle.

Like a lot of working mothers, Mirto, 51, knows what a struggle it can be to make time for exercise.

She's got two daughters, ages 11 and 14, and runs her own medical practice. She's not a morning person and doesn't salivate with enthusiasm at the prospect of an afternoon run.

As a physician, though, she understands the importance of physical fitness. She knows that obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and a host of health problems. She knows that as we age, our bodies get weaker and we lose flexibility and balance.

Women in particular tend to not take care of themselves as this happens, she says. "Fitness is way down the list when it comes to home and work. Ultimately, we pay for it."

So, Mirto makes it a point to exercise.

Ideally, we would all manage an hour of exercise every day. For many people, that's impossible, so Mirto recommends squeezing in a minimum of 20 or 30 minutes most days.

You'll feel better, and it'll help with weight loss, depression, PMS and stress management.

Got kids?

If you've got small children, they'll likely dictate how and when you can exercise.

If possible, coordinate with your spouse so while one of you exercises, the other watches the children. Trade off.

What to do? Try walking. You don't need special equipment and you can do it straight from home. Find a friend to join you and keep you accountable.

"A 20- to 30-minute walk daily is excellent for maintaining cardiovascular health," Mirto says.

Look for a mother's day out program or swap child care with another parent.

If someone at home can help with the kids, drive directly from the office to the gym before heading home. "Once you're home, your evening is consumed with homework, meals and getting everyone to bed," Mirto says.

Can't leave the house?

Cable television offers an array of on-demand fitness programs that you can tune into on your own time. If you don't have on-demand cable, record an exercise program on television or pick up a fitness DVD.

If you have a treadmill or stationary bike, watch a DVD of your favorite comedy show without commercials. That's 23 to 26 minutes. (Mirto advises against watching news. It'll bring you down. Better to focus on how your body is feeling or laugh while you exercise.)

Make Junior part of the workout.

Some parents manage to work their child into their exercise program. Organized exercise programs like Stroller Strides or Mommy and Me Yoga let you exercise with your offspring.

Even just playing with a toddler, which will have you standing, squatting and crawling on the floor, is good exercise. Or pop in a kids' yoga DVD and do the movements alongside your child. You can even use your child as a weight — have him or her sit on your feet and do crunches. Just keep it safe.

If your kids are older, consider a family walk in the neighborhood or a family Wii game. "It's not the same as the gym, but it takes 15 or 20 minutes and there's a lot of variety out there," Mirta says.

On the job

Think of fitness as part of your job. It can spur creativity.

If you're working full-time, and you get an hour for lunch, try taking a 20-minute walk. (You still need to eat, plus it takes a few minutes to change clothes.)

Look at things you would normally do and see where you can overlap them with exercise. Instead of meeting with a co-worker for coffee, meet for a walk.

Hand-deliver paperwork instead of phoning or sending an e-mail.