Can't find time to exercise? Actually, that's the number one excuse not to start exercising. Truth is, most of us can fit the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise into our daily schedule -- we just have to make it a priority. "It's rare that anyone is too busy to exercise," says fitness expert, Laura Williams. "What most people mean is that they don’t feel like exercising."

However, once you make the commitment to exercise everyday -- even if it's just 20 minutes -- it will start to feel like a habit within a month. (It takes 21 days for a habit to form!) You'll start to reap lots of benefits, including improved health, increased fitness, more energy and better mood. And of course, a slimmer, more toned body, too. So, break through your excuses with these simple strategies:

Commit yourself

Lack the motivation to exercise? "Do something that forces you to get started," urges Williams. This could be anything from getting a gym buddy on board to signing up for a charity race. "Don't sit around waiting to feel like starting to exercise -- the chances are that it won't happen."

Break it up

If you can't fit a 30-minute workout into your busy schedule, break it up into three ten-minute sessions throughout the day. "Short bursts of activity can be as beneficial as longer workouts if you do enough of them at a high enough intensity," says Williams. So, what kind of exercise works the best for this? Try interval training. "Alternating tougher periods with easy periods -- such as running on an incline at a faster speed for two minutes followed by jogging for a minute -- burns more calories overall and boosts fitness much quicker."

Make it a priority

Schedule your workout first thing in the morning, so you can get it over with and avoid life getting in the way of exercise. Or literally book workouts into your diary as you would with an appointment -- you're less likely to back out if you treat it like business.

Skip one TV show a night

Less time on the couch frees up more time to exercise. If you typically turn on the TV after dinner, try going for a walk with the family instead and use this time to catch up on the day.

Multitask

Make the most of your time: Hop on an exercise bike while you're watching your favorite show, jog on the spot during TV commercials, or do squats and leg lifts while you're on the phone.

Use your legs more

Whenever possible, walk instead of drive, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Brisk walking makes a great cardiovascular workout, especially if you haven't exercised for awhile.