Everyone knows that when you stay fit, you feel and look better. But as a working adult, staying fit can be a real challenge. It's not just about squeezing 30 minutes of cardio into your day - it's a way of living that focuses on staying active, eating well and living a balanced lifestyle. So, while you do need to make a commitment to staying fit outside of work, there's a lot you can do to meet your goals by staying fit at work, too.

Take a Look at the Way You Work

A big part of staying fit at work is recognizing the activity level your job requires, and how you respond to it. Do you work strictly at a desk, or do you run errands? Are you standing in one place all day, sitting down or moving around? Do you wait until you have a huge pile of stuff to fax, copy or turn in before you get up to do it? Just being aware of what your job requires and how you work within those requirements is important.

Once you've done a quick job check, try to make some changes. Get up and do work as soon as it needs to be done. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use 30 minutes of your lunch to eat and 30 minutes to take a brisk walk. It'll improve your mood and your health.

Help for Desk Jockeys

If you're pretty much tied to your desk, you can still help yourself stay fit while at work. First, check your posture. It's amazing how much poor posture can affect the way you feel. Sit up straight, with your shoulders slightly back. There are also stretches you can do at your desk during the day. I came across this brilliant little program called StretchWare, which reminds you to stretch at intervals throughout the work day and gives you brief stretching routines to choose from.

Watch Your Mouth

I mean, of course, what kind of food goes into it during work hours. Those brownies that Suzanne from accounting baked for the office? They'll make you just as fat as the brownies you eat at home. Eating out for lunch can also be expensive and unhealthy, and everyone has had frenzied workdays where they've scrounged lunch out of the vending machine. Try bringing your own snacks and lunches to work. If you only eat what you bring, you can keep track of what you're eating, how much and what's in it - all things that are important when it comes to eating well. Oh, and the soft drinks? Limit yourself to one or two diet drinks a day if you must, but it's better to take advantage of the water cooler instead. It's healthy - and it's free!

There are a lot of little changes you can make to help yourself stay fit while at work, before you get home to the dishes, the bills and the kids. There's nothing as satisfying as making your health a priority. By upping your activity level, scattering stretches throughout your day and paying attention to what you eat, you can build a great foundation for fitness in your day-to-day living.