We are always trying to find ways to lose weight. Whether with a new diet, a new program, a new pill -- the ways to lose weight are endless. Has everyone forgotten about exercise? For losing weight, trimming the figure or just to fit better in your old clothes, exercise is a method that's tried and true.

Exercise? Who has time? Who has the energy? Who wants to sweat? These are just a few of the reasons people give when asked why they don't exercise more. Carrie Eichler, a nurse and mother of three from Ashland, Ohio, claims her days are full of time-consuming events leaving her no time to exercise. "With three active boys, a husband, a job and all the things that go along with these, I barely have enough time to breathe, let alone try to find 30 minutes to an hour a few days a week to exercise," says Eichler. "As a nurse, I know it's important to exercise. But, the way I see it, I get plenty of exercise chasing my kids, running from here to there and walking all day at work."

Finding the Time
According to Ingrid Komer, a women's fitness specialist at Bally's Total Fitness, if you can find 10 minutes a day, then you can exercise. Finding two or three segments of 10-minute periods throughout the day will offer the same benefit, but none of the time constraints of a 30-minute workout. "Maybe fitting in ten minutes while the baby is napping or when the husband gets home and can watch the children or even ten minutes before going to bed is more attainable," says Komer. "You really will see results even though it doesn't feel like you're doing that much because you're not doing it all at once. Most people feel they have to exercise an hour in order to see the benefits they want, but that's not true. You can get the same results by breaking it down into smaller groups."

"With four kids it is hard to find time to exercise," agrees Lynn Rexroat from Chillicothe, Ill. "I usually do a little in the morning after getting the older ones off to school and then a little more while the baby is taking a nap. I don't do a lot, but what I have done has really made a difference. I never thought I had the time but it's not so hard when you break it down."

There are three components to exercise: cardiovascular -- the strengthening of the heart; strength training -- the strengthening of the muscles; and flexibility -- the elasticity of the muscles and how they work together, according to Komer. Each component of exercise is important individually, but also when combined with the other two.

Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular workouts include brisk walking, jogging, running, aerobics or swimming. "Swimming is a real good, low impact exercise that offers great cardiovascular benefits," says Komer. "But not everyone has access to a pool so a good alternative is walking." In a cardiovascular workout, the goal is to increase the heart rate to "work out" the heart muscle and burn off calories. However, the weight loss benefits of these workouts stop when you do. "Cardiovascular exercises such as aerobics or walking are great for burning those extra calories while you're actually doing them," says Komer. "Once you stop and your heart rate comes down, you stop burning calories."

Strength Training
It is important to add strength training to a workout routine because strength training adds muscle mass. When you have more muscle mass, you burn calories 24 hours a day. "Adding strength training into their exercise routine will help to shape their body as well as burn the extra weight," says Komer. "If strength training is incorporated in addition to a cardio work out, the results will be visible and people will feel good as well as look good."

Strength training is done with resistance, such as with steppers, rowing machines, elastic exercise bands and a low or moderate amount of weight. "It is not necessary to furnish your house with exercise machines in order to incorporate strength training into their exercise routine," says Komer. "Using exercise tubing or wrist and ankle weights can help immensely -- and for a lot less money."

Setting Goals
One mistake people often make when using exercise as a means of weight loss is when they set goals. Setting a goal to lose weight is a good idea and will add motivation and determination -- as long as that goal is realistic and attainable. "A good realistic goal for weight loss is losing about a pound a week," says Komer. "If someone has ten extra pounds, then taking two months to lose that weight is absolutely normal. Setting little goals such as doing 10-minute exercise sessions each day and then moving up to ten minutes twice a day will make the goals more attainable but still offer the results that are wanted."

The idea of adding exercise into a busy schedule is not as complicated as it seems. Doing push ups on the kitchen counter, leg extensions while sitting in a chair, lunges, squats, jumping rope with a child, using a child or even soup cans as weights are just a few ideas that can help a person add a 10-minute exercise session into their day. The most important thing is to do the exercises. "It's just a matter of finding what fits into your schedule," says Komer. "If you can get to the gym or to the aerobics classes, great, do that. But if not, find little things you can do at home or at the office or even with your family."