Do you have a personal soundtrack? You know, songs that play in your head as you go about your daily routine? Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of “I Like to Move It Move It” from the 2005 animated film Madagascar. Forget the rest of the lyrics. The band in my head just keeps repeating that phrase—except in my version it’s not “I Like to Move It Move It.” My mind keeps singing “You Need to Move It Move It.”

This isn’t a scientific certainty, but I think working at the computer all day burns approximately -3 calories. So even if you eat a healthy diet and walk 20–30 minutes a day, when you spend most of the rest of your time sitting in front of the screen, you still wind up shaped like a milk jug. Maybe that’s why by 2010 one in two American job applicants is expected to be obese, according to corporate fitness expert Thomas B. Gilliam. And, he says, younger workers are getting heavier at a faster rate than older workers.

Gilliam, co-author of Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy, sings the same tune that’s pounding in my brain: You Need to Move It Move It. And fortunately he’s offered a few suggestions for how to get going with some extra activity:

• Look for kindred spirits. If you’re having trouble gearing up for those morning walks or afternoon aerobics classes, maybe you need some exercise partners to encourage you. Find one or two people to accompany you on your walks or bike rides, or consider inviting a couple of friends to join you for dance or yoga classes, or for aerobics workouts in your living room. You might be more likely to stick with it if others are part of the effort and you can push one another to stay committed.

• Let the games begin. Gather your family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers and start having regular softball, basketball, soccer, or flag football games at a local park. The nice thing about games is they feel more like fun than exercise and they give you a chance to enjoy the company of people you like.

• Make it a family affair. Get the whole family involved by training together for a group event—say, a 3K run, which is a better starting point than a more taxing 5K would be. Since children today seem to be at even greater risk for developing future weight issues than children were a few years ago, family training sessions would be a good way to start teaching your kids the benefits of exercise.

• Take a casual approach. Try to schedule regular exercise time with your family, friends, or coworkers, but be flexible. It’s not necessary that you all wear matching workout clothes, get into a perfect stance at the chalk line, and take off together when the whistle blows. You can jog, another person can ride a bike, another can rollerblade, another can walk the dog. It doesn’t matter what you do or how fast you go or that you all finish together. It only matters that you spend time each day finding a way to move it move it.