In a recent lifestyle survey commissioned by the Department of Health, 21 per cent of respondents said they did no exercise. Overall 42 per cent engaged in some form of regular physical exercise. That leaves an awful lot of people who may have good intentions but who just have not managed to make room for exercise in their daily lives.

Ms Maureen Mulvihill, Health Promotion manager for the Irish Heart Foundation says there are several factors, which can deter people from being active. "We hear people saying they don't have time or the weather puts them off or the lack of amenities or safe places to walk."

There are, however, options for anyone interested in getting fit, to suit every pocket and personality.

Perhaps the world can be divided into people who go to gyms and people who shudder at the thought of the places. If you are in the former category, the choice of fitness centres and leisure clubs and the level of services has vastly improved in recent years.

Ten years ago there were around 70 hotel leisure clubs compared to 140 today and 150,000 people hold memberships. The facilities vary, but the standards are generally very high and members have access to pools as well as a fitness gym and health suite. Some of the larger private fitness clubs have up to 3,500 members.

According to a study carried out by the Institute of Leisure & Amenity Management (ILAM), there is a price differential between city-based clubs and those in provincial towns.

The average cost of annual membership outside cities is £350 to £470 (€444 to €596) for individuals and £680 - £900 for families. The prices in cities range from £450 to £600 for individuals and £800 to £1,000 for families.

"All private leisure clubs have different policies about offering their facilities on a `pay-as-you-use' basis. The standard approach is that members of the public can use the pool and fitness facilities at the club when they are accompanied by a member," said Mr Roddy Gaynor, chief executive of ILAM. The average rates for casual use vary significantly, based on the standard of the facilities but generally guests will pay £5 to £8.

It is a good idea to try out the facilities at a gym or leisure club in this way, through a friend. The atmosphere and quality of service are as important as the facilities, if you are going to be a regular member.

Mr Dave Quinn, general manager of Dundrum Gym in Dublin says the ambience of the new generation of leisure clubs has changed beyond recognition since he started in the business 15 years ago.

"We've learned a lot from the hotel industry. There's a buzz and excitement about the place with televisions and music, we keep people's heads turning," Mr Quinn said.

There are different membership options at Dundrum gym varying from £32 to £43 per month and payment options are flexible in most clubs. New members receive a full fitness evaluation, which is standard in most gyms and clubs, and have a fitness programme designed for them. Members also have access to all classes, aerobics, step and spinning (exercise class on bikes).

Leisure clubs feature high on new resolutions' lists and there is always a surge in membership in January. "We are trying to make the gym the fourth element in people's lives along with the traditional three - home, work and pub," Mr Quinn said.

Many people still find the atmosphere in gyms off-putting and there are countless other ways to be active and have fun getting fit. One is to invest in some of your own equipment. The Cycle Superstore in Tallaght has all the gear. Treadmills start at around £500 and the most popular decent mid-range model is £800. Health riders, otherwise known as exercise bikes, cost in the region of £230.

The latest craze in home gym equipment are the air walkers or cross trainers, which are like cross country skiing machines. Baseline in Santry also stocks these and they retail at £200 to £250. There are even home gyms, which are bulky and need a lot of space and the most basic model costs £650.

The equipment is marketed as ideal for those who are too busy to go to the gym or not keen to go out on a winter's evening and are happier to work out at home.

If you are looking for a more homely option that does not mean staying at home there is a plethora of classes taking place every night of the week in schools, community centres and workplaces.

Ms Ger Naughton is a qualified fitness instructor who works in sales and marketing at Bank of Ireland in Dublin. There is a gym in the office building but Ms Naughton gives her own evening aerobics classes for her workmates in a nearby hall and runs another class in Ringsend Community College. She charges a modest £3.50 per hour.

Ms Naughton says that a big part of being a fitness instructor is to motivate people and make them feel comfortable. Her advice for easing yourself back into fitness is not to push too hard at first: "I would recommend yoga, which is excellent for de-stressing you and loosening up the body, dance classes are great fun and very active and badminton, tennis and swimming are good soft sports to start off with at your own pace.

"You'll really notice the difference in your energy levels if you do take up something, loads of people go home and hoover after my classes," she said.

The good news for people who have been put off by conditions at their local public swimming pool is that things are going to improve radically in the near future. Some £45 million has just been allocated for the refurbishment of public swimming pools. "There are 66 indoor swimming pools in the country and the money will go a long way towards modernising and expanding facilities for the public," according to Mr Roddy Gaynor of ILAM.

Mr Gaynor points to Leisure World in Cork as a great public facility and a good example of the way things are going. The cost per adult for a swim in Leisure World is around £3 and there is also a full fitness centre.

For suggestions on how to increase the level of activity in your life in simple but effective ways, visit the Happy Heart section of the Irish Heart Foundation website, www.irishheart.ie. There are also details of 70 Sli na Slainte walking routes.