If the thought of exercise brings back bad memories of awkward adolescence and smelly gymnasiums — snap out of it. It’s time to schedule your own PE class and get fit for fall. There’s PTA meetings to run around to and kids’ schedules to keep up with, after all.

Two trainers at Thrive Community Fitness — Tyson Van Dam and Sara Stearns — took a break from working out their clients to give OH Magazine a quick workout for those people who think they’re too busy to fit fitness into their busy fall schedules.

Making time to exercise is as vital as breathing itself, the trainers say.

“Why shouldn’t someone exercise,” Van Dam asks rhetorically. “Your health is a necessity.”

Stearns says she understands what it’s like want to lose some weight, but maybe be intimidated by a gym.

“I used to be there,” she said. “I was an athlete in school and then put on weight after I graduated. But I got over my far of the gym by just going — you have to — and once I got regular with exercise again my fitness came back.”

The trainers said that people who exercise regularly will improve their chances for better heart health, increased energy and productivity.

“Thirty to 40 minutes is not a lot of time in the whole scheme of life,” Van Dam said. “You definitely see a difference with our 4:30 a.m. regulars. They’re the one’s awake and ready to go.”

When you do exercise, make sure to incorporate regular weight training into the mix if you want to get the most out of your workouts.

“A lot of people don’t lift weights because it’s intimidating to them,” Stearns said. “But you’ll actually increase your calorie burn more effectively with lifting than with cardio.”

Finding the right balance in an exercise routine is key, even if you have a body specific goal. The most frequent request Van Dam said he hears from his clients is a desire to flatten stomachs and lift rears.

“You can do crunches forever and it won’t give you a flat stomach if you’re not also doing cardio, lifting weights and eating right,” he said. “You have to work your whole body.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: To see the photo play-by-play of the suggested workout circuit, click on the OH Magazine {e} Edition or pick up a copy of the magazine around town!

Fitness Quick Fixes

• Get an exercise ball. Stretch, do sit ups, push ups and other exercises while watching TV; use it at work to improve posture and core strength.

• Park further away from stores and work to make the walk in longer

• Take the stairs versus elevator

• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water

• Wear good shoes while exercising. Broken down soles contribute to injuries such as shin splints.

• Get adequate sleep. You’ll have more energy and burn calories more efficiently.

• Eat right. Cars are picky about their fuel, shouldn’t you also?