How can you get more active while watching television? Actually, it is a very easy plan of action that will fit everyone’s lifestyle. What are you doing with your time? You are sitting there watching television anyway, so it is not taking any extra time out of your day. Of course, it is always advisable to check with your physician before beginning any exercise program. This holds especially true if you do not get much exercise any other time.

Let me explain the simple exercises first, then I will help you put them to use when you are watching your sitcoms, or even other shows. You can pick which exercises to do, or when to do them, if you do not like the suggestions given.

While you are sitting on the couch or in a chair, lift your legs off the ground until they are parallel with the floor. Hold them in place for a count of 5. Place them back on the floor. Do this whenever a new character comes on the scene, for example.

Another leg exercise is to start with both feet on the floor and lift one leg parallel to the floor. Now lift it higher than parallel. Hold it for a count of 5, then place that leg back down and repeat for a count of 5 with the other leg. Try this one during a commercial break as it is a little longer than some of the other exercises.

Hold your arms up in the air straight overhead for a count of 5. Pretend you are being held up by Jesse James in that scene from “The Brady Bunch” where Bobby thinks of him as a hero until he sees Jesse shoot his family. Now, bend them back as many inches as you can go for another count of 5. Place them back down at your sides. This is a good one to do whenever a character gets caught in a bad situation.

Another arm exercise is where you place your arms straight out at your sides and make a fist with both hands. Roll your arms in small circles and gradually make bigger circles. Do this for a count of 10. Afterwards, place your arms back down by your sides. Whenever a character gets into action and gets moving very fast in some way, try this exercise.

Remember when the “Golden Girls” joined an aerobic gym? The teacher was shouting out things to do as she did them. The leader got a charley horse and starting holding her leg, and Rose joined in thinking it was part of the routine. If you see that episode again, why not jump off your couch and take that aerobics class with them? The exercises were not that hard, you could follow along, and they did not go on for the whole half hour.

Doing the sit down exercises while you are driving, or even at your desk job will help as well. The idea is to keep your body moving, or to get yourself moving more than you normally do. If you have always felt that you were too busy to exercise, this article has now shown you where you do indeed have the time.