No-Sweat Home Workouts

No-Sweat Home Workouts

What the pros know: It's the little stuff you do, every day, that adds up to big results

Here's a novel way to think about exercise: as something you can do all day in your kitchen or bedroom, or even when you're lugging a laundry basket down the hall. Fitting in hour-long workouts just isn't realistic for most of us; fortunately, research shows that mini-bouts of activity--a few squats here, some quick crunches there--can have as big an impact on your fitness level and health as longer routines can.

An 18-month study at the University of Pittsburgh found that doing three 10-minute bursts of exercise daily was as beneficial for weight loss and heart health as a single 30-minute workout. The trick is to figure out what to do in those 10 minutes--a brisk walk is always a smart option, but mixing things up keeps you motivated and your body challenged. Here, top trainers share their favorite ways to fit fitness into every room in the house (bathroom included!).

Living/Family Room

I have a BOSU--a half-dome squishy balance gadget--in my family room.

One of my kids is always sitting or standing on it while watching TV.

My youngest is constantly balancing--working his core without realizing it! --Chris Freytag, star of the DVD Prevention Fitness

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Tuck a resistance band behind a pillow or under a couch cushion. You can get an entire-body workout while watching Dancing with the Stars.

Stand on the middle and pull the ends to the front, back, and sides for an upper-body sculpting session; tie it in a loop around your legs and do leg lifts in every direction to tone your thighs and butt.

--Jennifer Mrozek Sukalo, owner of Healthy Lifestyle Solutions in Scottsdale, AZ

Keep a workout DVD in your player at all times. Just push play and go. --Stella Sandoval, star of the DVD 10 Minute Solution: Latin Dance Mix

 

Kitchen/Dining Area

I clean the floor by "foot." Instead of using a mop, I step on a damp cloth and scrub with my right foot; my left foot dries with a second towel. For the final shine, I use two clean towels and glide to polish. My heart rate goes up and my hips get a workout--and it makes me giggle! It burns as many calories as a brisk walk. --Patricia Moreno, creator of the DVD Intensati: Great Body, Great Life

Put a mini-trampoline in your kitchen, and march and bounce on it for

5 to 10 minutes while you're waiting for your coffee to brew.

--Tamilee Webb, star of the DVD The Best of Tamilee: Buns, Abs & Arms

Bedroom

I store a yoga mat under my bed and pull it out when I watch the news so I can stretch--I try to get in 10 minutes every night. --Chris Freytag

Slip a set of wrist weights around the handle of your vacuum cleaner, then clean your way to stronger muscles and bones (or strap them on your wrists before you start to vacuum). The extra weight ups resistance, so you're sneaking in light strength-training. --Lynn Anderson, MD, star of the DVD series Anti-Aging Workout for Every Body

Don't sit down when you're getting dressed. Stand on one foot and lift the other up to put on your shoes or pants. This helps with balance and also firms your core. --Patricia Moreno

Do 10 triceps dips and 10 incline push-ups on the edge of the bed the minute you get up. --Tamilee Webb

Bathroom

There's a small balance tool called a Dyna Disc (lifestylesport.com)--a wobbly plastic pillow that I put under the sink in the bathroom. I stand on it while I wash my face. I also balance on one leg while putting on makeup, and do squats while drying my hair. --Jennifer Mrozek Sukalo

Get a nonskid plastic step stool for the bathroom. Stand on top and lunge back and tap a toe on the floor while brushing your teeth. Do a minute on each side. --Patricia Moreno

Sandwich your shower with a mini-workout: As the water is heating up, whip off a set of crunches on the bath mat. After you loosen your muscles in the warm water, towel off, then do some stretches. --Ellen Barrett, star of the DVD series Prevention Fitness Systems: Flat Belly Workout

Hallways

Leave a pair of dumbbells by the bedroom door. Grab them on your way out and do walking lunges for great butt and thigh toning. Put the dumbbells down in another high-traffic spot so they're ready for the next round. --Stella Sandoval Clear clutter from staircases so that you can use every trip to firm your thighs: Head upstairs two steps at a time, or one at a time as fast as you can, or go up backward to increase balance and coordination (hold rail for safety). Or try going up sideways, crisscrossing as you step. --Minna Lessig, star of the DVD Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly, Boy Shorts Bottom Stash a basket by the front door with everything you need for a walk: dog leash and toys; shoes, sweatshirt, and hat; fanny pack for ID, keys, money, cell phone, and iPod. --Stella Sandoval

Dr. Jeremy Welch is a Bellevue Chiropractor - www.purechiropracticcenter.com

Maximize your cardio

Maximize your cardio

The elliptical machine is an excellent machine to use for your cardio vascular health.   It is easy and puts little impact and stresses into the joints (unlike running). However, many people are making these exercise mistakes when they are on the elliptical machine. Use the machine properly to reduce injury and maximize your calorie burn.

1. You're too lazy to enter your information. Most machines are calibrated for a 150-pound person-but personalizing your stats will help you get a more accurate calorie read. Aim to burn around 100 calories per 10 minutes, says Jennifer Cassetty, an exercise physiologist.

2. Your resistance is zero. You might feel like a million bucks spinning at a mile a minute, but without resistance, you're not going to see results, says Röbynn Europe, a personal trainer at Chelsea Piers in New York City. Make sure that you're using enough resistance to push and pull through the stride. Then, continue at a moderate pace until you feel like you've done all you can do. "You shouldn't feel like you have even 5 minutes left in you when you step off," she says.

3. You're a sloucher. Standing up straight helps to lengthen your abs, giving you a chance to engage your core and even work your upper body muscles, Cassetty says. Certified personal trainer Neal I. Pire, MA, CSCS, president of Inspire Training Systems in New Jersey, recommends hopping on a machine with an upper body component so you can engage even more muscles-and blast more fat. Can't find a machine that lets you pump your arms? Let go: Some research suggests that leaning on machine armrests during exercise reduces calorie burning.

4. Your machine sounds like it's going to take off. If you can hear the purr of the machine while you're exercising, it means that you're going too fast without enough resistance--which means you're not getting the most calorie burn out of your time, Cassetty says. Keeping a steady, moderate pace at a resistance that forces you to use your muscles will get, and keep, your heart rate up.

5. You don't change directions. Going backwards doesn't just stop you from getting bored, it also changes which large muscle groups are working hardest, according to Europe. While moving forward fatigues your quads, backwards puts emphasis on your hamstrings and glutes. To max out the effect, sit back slightly, keeping your knees at a 90-degree angle as you stride.

6. You haven't changed your workout in months. Intervals are a great way to break up the monotony of the machine and boost your calorie burn, says Europe. You can do this in one of two ways: Leave the resistance steady and change your pace (fast for 1 minute; moderate for 4) or maintain your speed and change your resistance (challenging resistance for 1 minute; moderate for 4).

7. You spin until you can't feel your feet. One of the most common elliptical mistakes is putting too much pressure on your toes, which can make your feet go numb and cut your workout short. Instead, sit back into your heels, which allows large muscle groups to work harder and gives you the stamina to go for longer, according to Cassetty.

8. You don't work your upper half. Incorporate the moving handles two days a week to put your upper body to work, and hang on to the stable handles on the others, says Cassetty. When you're working your arms and legs, try intervals-focus on your arms for 1 minute, then pump your legs for 4, and repeat through your workout.

9. You spin your way up a hill. Some models have a ramp incline, similar to a treadmill. But, unlike a treadmill, a large incline won't increase the difficulty-instead, it's easier for your legs to push and pull through the stride.

10. You're an elliptical junkie. As tempting as it may be to shoot straight to the elliptical every time you enter the gym, you should never be using one machine exclusively, says Europe. Supplement your routine with weight training and other cardio equipment, such as the rower. Making sure you incorporate variety keeps your body from getting used to a single movement and also continues to help you build muscle mass-which, in turn, will keep your metabolism boosted.

Dr. Jeremy Welch is a Bellevue Chiropractor, www.purechiropracticcenter.com