Losing weight can be a difficult journey. But with proper exercise, healthy nutrition and a determined attitude, it can be done. For many people, they just don't have the time or energy to stick to an exercise regime or afford a gym membership. It is important to incorporate physical exercise into your daily life so that you can create more energy, a stronger body and a happier mental state. Here are a few easy to do and fast exercises that will promote the most fat-burning and get your heart rate going.

1) Jumping Jacks

This suggestion is likely bringing you back to gym class in elementary school but jumping jacks are aerobically beneficial and they work the entire body. Stand with your feet together and place your arms at your side. Then jump and place your feet shoulder width apart while making your hands touch. The way to properly perform this exercise is to keep your arms and legs strong and to jump as high as you can. Do anywhere from 50-100 so that you can get your heart rate up and to promote muscle toning.

2) Planks

Besides the viral sensation that "planking" was, if you've never done a plank before, it probably looks really easy to you. To perform a plank, lay on the floor on your stomach. Place your hands by your head and make your elbows shoulder-width apart. Then rise up on your elbows and toes. Keep your belly above the ground and your back and bottom straight. You can keep your hands on the ground or you can hold them together to keep your concentration. What no one tells you about planks is, they hurt. Hurt in that good, fat-burning, making-you-stronger kind of way. Planks work your shoulder, arm and abdominal muscles by using your own body weight and gravity to act as resistance. Try beginning at a 30 second plank, working your way up to 45 seconds, to 1 minute and so on.

3) Jumping Rope

Why do you kids get to have all the fun and aerobic benefits? You can get in on that action as well by procuring your own jump rope. Jumping rope is great for cardio as well as working all the muscles in the legs. In the same vein as jumping jacks, jumping rope uses your body as the resistance. Jumping rope for 10 minutes burns about 150 calories so think about the benefits you could gain for doing it for 30 minutes.

4) Running the Stairs

A great way to insert exercise into your daily routine is as easy as choosing the stairs instead elevators and escalators. Before you go to work, try running up and down your stairs for 10 minutes. The incline will help you to burn fat, strengthen leg and gluteal muscles and the sprinting will help increase your heart rate. It is important to get your heart rate higher than average because that is when fat begins to burn. So get moving into that better body.

5) Lunges

Lunges are no piece of cake but that is why is you're exercising. But lunges are some of the best exercises you can do to work your abdominals, bottom and thighs. Stand straight with hands on your hips. Then take your leg and step forward while putting your other knee toward the ground. Do not let your knee touch the ground and keep your back straight and belly muscles tight. Then push your knee up until you are standing again and perform the same moves with your other leg. The movements should be fluid and consistent while going across the room. Do 2 sets of 20 and feel that burn. It means it is working.

This article was written by M.G. Bachemin in association with Brahman Systems, the new standard in cable and hose protection for industrial traffic.