Perhaps it is time that we all take a little pressure off of ourselves and learn to incorporate a "gentle" exercise plan into our lives. One of the greatest gentle exercises is walking. The great things about walking are that you can do it virtually anywhere, it's not hard on your joints, and even beginners can jump right in. Spend as little as 20 minutes a day walking and you will notice a difference. To add to your walking plan, choose routes that involve inclines to challenge yourself.

Another natural form of exercise is swimming. Children know this well, as they could spend hours splashing away in a pool. As adults, we tend to go in for a quick dip and zip - we're right back out. Why not spend 20 minutes doing laps? Even an easy stroke such as the breaststroke can get your heart pumping. Another bonus - swimming is great for pregnant women and people with joint problems.

Still not convinced that exercise needn't be hard? Instead of pumping dumbells at the gym, why not grab nature's weights from your cupboard? A couple of soup cans, or some bottles of water make great hand weights. Instead of going for heavy lifting to build muscles, focus on lots of repetitions to tone and strengthen your upper body. Use your homemade weights to do a variety of exercises focusing on your chest, back, shoulders, biceps and tri-ceps. Trust me - even soup cans will give you the burn!

In addition to the above suggestions, small changes in your daily life can equal big payback in terms of your physical health. Instead of driving to the corner store - walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Buy a bicycle if you don't have one and use it! Instead of sitting in front of the television for hours, go outside and do something active. Housework, gardening, home renovations - these are all activities that can burn tremendous amounts of calories.

A recent study even showed that people who live in older houses are less likely to be overweight. Must be all the work they have to do to keep up their homes! In the end, only you can decide if your happier being a gym rat or a natural exerciser.

For myself, I was thrust into a situation where I had no choice. Moving to an area that offered no gyms meant that I had to invent ways of exercising that were out of the norm. Something that I probably would never have done otherwise.

I have to say, however, that there is a certain power in knowing that you can work your body without all the fancy equipment. Our bodies are meant to move - one way or another. Some ways are just don't seem so much like work.