It’s no secret that most of us need to get more exercise on a daily basis. But if you think that this means scheduling time at the gym and spending all of your free hours on a treadmill, think again! Here are some simple ways to incorporate more movement into your daily activities. And if you are watching your weight you’ll be able to burn even more calories, just by taking a fresh approach to some of the active things you do each day.

The first technique is to walk whenever you can. Park farther away from your office or your destination than you normally would. You can get a lot of exercise by trekking across the parking lot. If the weather permits, park on the other side of the parking lot from where you are headed. You’ll not only have an easier time finding a parking space, but you get a great little workout that just takes a few minutes. When you make this a habit, you’ll hardly even notice the extra exercise. This step becomes a lot easier when you invest in some good walking shoes to wear everyday. You might be surprised at the chic styles that are great for your feet. (Here are some coupons and special offers for discount walking shoes.)

You might want to consider a negative heel shoe. Experts say you can actually burn more calories each day just by walking in these shoes. Many different brands of negative heel shoes are now available on the market. The oldest carrier of this type of shoe is the Earth shoe company.

Taking the stairs is also a simple way to increase your activity on your day-to-day travels. Avoid escalators and elevators, and take the stairs whenever possible. After the first few days of doing this, you might notice that your legs and knees are feeling worn out. Don’t worry too much about this. They’ll snap into shape pretty quickly.

If you spend your evenings catching up on your favorite TV shows, why not use that downtime to get more exercise? Position a stationery bike a rowing machine or a treadmill in the TV room, or simply strike a deal with yourself that you’ll do some form of exercise during the commercials. Pick a different activity for each commercial break. Do sit-ups, push-ups and jumping jacks during the commercials, and you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite programs and still get a bit of activity in.

Better yet, substitute your evening television with a bit of exercise. Take the whole family for a stroll after dinner. Use this as a chance to catch up with the day’s events and to get moving. It will help your children wind down after a busy day and give you a chance to connect with your spouse. Plus, you’ll be setting a great example for your kids to follow. If you show them that staying active is important, they’ll carry on the habit as they grow older.

Housework and gardening can actually help increase your heart rate. Regularly mop the floor and vacuum, along with your other more active parts of housekeeping. Group them together in one brisk cleaning session so you can really get your heart rate going. Also, make a point to work outdoors a little each day. Even something as simple as pulling weeds from your garden counts as activity.

Take time for two to three short walks throughout your day. Take a walk around during your lunch break and then another during your afternoon break. By incorporating these little walks throughout your day, you will increase your activity level, and you won’t give up a lot of time.

With these simple changes, you’ll be able to raise your heart rate without spending a lot of time working out. Within just a matter of time it will become second nature and you won’t even realize you’re exercising. And, chances are, you will start to feel more fit over the long term, which might make more vigorous forms of exercise look appealing.