Several simple exercises you can do anywhere

An important part of healthy living is exercise. If you're away from home or the gym, try some of these simple exercises you can do anywhere. But don't let yourself fall into a dull routine — there's nothing worse than just going through the motions when it comes to exercise!

1. Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your thighs and your knees slightly bent.
2. Keeping your back straight and your elbows tucked close to your sides, slowly curl the weights up toward your collarbone so the end of each weight is near each shoulder.
3. Pause there, then lower the weights back to the starting position.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your dumbbells in front of you with your arms extended and your palms facing your thighs. Keep your shoulders back and down.
2. Keeping the weights close to your body, slowly pull the dumbbells straight up along your body until they reach collarbone height. Your elbows should be above the weights, pointing outward. Do not let your shoulders lift.
3. Pause there, then return to the starting position.

1. Lie back on a balance ball so it supports your torso from your neck to your mid-back, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold your dumbbells over your chest with your arms extended and your palms facing your feet so the weights are end to end.
2. Bend your arms and slowly lower the weights toward your chest until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
3. Pause there, then contract your chest muscles and push the weights back up to the starting position.

1. Grasp the end of a dumbbell with both hands and sit on a balance ball or the edge of a chair.
2. Lift the weight over your head and hold it with your elbows close to your ears. Remember to pull in your stomach.
3. Keeping your shoulders down and your elbows close to your head, lower the weight behind your head until your forearms are just past parallel to the floor.
4. Pause there, and then return to the starting position.

1. Stand about a foot away from a flight of stairs with your feet hip-width apart, with your hand on the wall or railing for support. Keeping your upper body straight, step forward with your left foot, placing it on the centre of the second step.
2. Press into your left foot and extend your left leg to lift your body. As you step up, extend your right leg slightly behind you.
3. Pause there and then reverse the motion, stepping back down to the floor while keeping your left foot planted.
4. Finish a set with your left foot, then repeat with the other foot.