One of the toughest battles for any working mother is the problem of having enough time in the day for exercise. For stay-at-home moms, it can be even harder because the children would usually have to come along.

Walking is one of the few exercises that you can do just about anywhere. It's also a great exercise to do with the kids, having the added benefit of wearing them out and maybe getting them to take a little nap.

While flexibility is good, it is still important to schedule your walks and stick to the schedule, at least in the beginning. Laying our a schedule and putting it on the calendar gives you an incentive to maintain the schedule and the ability to plan everything else around it. When you have a schedule it becomes easier to avoid putting someone else's need ahead of yours because, after all, it's already on the calendar.

Avoid overdoing it at first. A couple of ten minute walks is a great way to start, then you can move on to power-walks that might last twenty minutes or so. Give your muscles a chance to recover when you're starting out. Start by exercising every other day. That way you can give yourself recovery time and avoid getting burned out on walking.

Try starting on a Monday, walk three days with a day off in between. Take the weekend off from walking and maybe do some other exercise on Saturday. Once you get used to it, you can switch to walking five days and taking the weekend off.

Of course, if you are overweight or feel you may be at risk be sure to consult with your doctor before you start this or any other exercise program.

Walking regularly will help you maintain a healthy weight and give you the strength and stamina to complete your busiest days and still have time left over to enjoy your life. Life is so much more enjoyable when you can go through it strong and vigorously, and when you're able to meet its challenges head-on.