If I have to exercise, it's going to be for fun or productivity. I need to see some sort of instant results for me to be able to stick with it, otherwise I get bored and frustrated and won't continue with the routine. Increasing my activity is my number one goal for right now.
Walking with a friend helps. We usually choose to walk at a different place every time, so that the scenery and surroundings are new. Early mornings are cooler and I feel like I have a little more energy then. It also helps me wind down from my night shift (Work). This summer we found a lake with paddle boats, so rather than walking the lake, we rented a paddle boat and got an awesome leg workout while laughing ourselves silly. Or we drive to the coast and run barefoot in the sand. You can't tell me that running in the sand is not a workout. I live in Oregon, so the hiking trails around here are plentiful and the scenery is gorgeous.
My other love is gardening. I've recently purchased a repo (house) which needs a lot of tender loving care, so there is a lot of digging, planting, and landscaping going on now. My life was an emotional mess up until recently, so I'm now ready to tackle some of the obsticles that I haven't been able to get to yet. I've come to discover that the yard is made up of gravel and clay, so turning this ground into something workable and beautiful is going to be more than a little workout.
Seeing the results of my recent yard work has gotten me excited to do more. And everytime I do a little more, I can smile and say "I did that," and not think about it being a workout. So, I'm burning calories and have something to show for it.
As far as a regular workout goes, I started to do pushups against the kitchen counter while waiting for the Microwave to beep, or squats at the sink in between doing dishes. I go up and down the stairs twice every time I need to go from up to down, and visa versa. The stairs are a great way to workout, if you pump each leg up and down three times with each step. My joints are getting old, so low impact is best for me, so I do what I can, maybe push myself to do a little extra, and I don't feel overwhelmed, or feel like I can't keep up. Dancing around to good tunes while doing housework is a must. I always turn up the music when it comes time to do housework.
Once I take a little more weight off, maybe I can start bicycling and skating again, and I LOVE to swim, so my next goal is to find a pool locally and start swimming laps (If I can get myself to put on a swim suit).
Burning calories doesn't have to be work. Make it something special. Make it fun. Make it rewarding. Make it part of your life. I'm just getting started and exploring new ideas to make this work for me. Anyone else have any other ideas???