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Get your fit together

Resolve to get moving without a gym membership
By Jessica Deming

Lose weight, stay fit, get healthy—they top the list of resolutions people make each year, but most of the resolute fall short. A 2012 study by the Journal of Clinical Psychology at the University of Scranton found that while nearly half of Americans make resolutions, only 8 percent are successful. With that in mind, try these five tips for getting fit without ever setting foot in a gym.

  1. Core on the floor. While we can all tuck our toes under the couch to do crunches, try working your abs and obliques by sitting on the floor in front of the TV holding a broom in front of you at chest length, shoulder-width apart. Slowly twist left-center-right, and repeat 10 times. After that, sweep your house for another 30 minutes to burn another 100 calories. 
  2. Just dance. Cardio at the gym may consist of riding the elliptical or stationary bike, but you don’t have to leave your living room to throw a good old-fashioned dance party. Turn up the music and shake your thing for 10 songs. While you’re pretending to be Britney’s backup dancer, you’ll burn about 300 calories. If you sing along, you’ll burn another 130 calories (and feel like a pop star).
  3. Hit the pavement. If staying at home isn’t your thing, take a run around your neighborhood (or explore a new one) instead of using the treadmill. Even at a 12-minute per mile pace, you’ll burn more than 500 calories per hour. For the running-averse, grab your pet (the four-legged kind or your significant other) and go for a longer walk at a faster pace. 
  4. Make your routine routes inconvenient. When you head out for groceries, walk up and down every aisle. You’ll burn 85 calories for every 30 minutes you push your cart. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work is another quick way to increase your burn. You can also park in a farther spot, get off the bus a block early or use the bathroom on the other side of your building. 
  5. Sleep it off. Here’s something to celebrate: you burn 400 calories just sleeping every night.

Read more unresolutions in our new issue. 

Filed under fitness workout exercise home gym health running walking dancing activity

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Editor Max Crumpley explains the financial and health benefits to biking in Power to the pedal from our latest issue. If you’re a beginner, check out these basics to stay safe: Don’t forget your helmet and other protective gear. Light up. It’s important that people are able to see you. Bring a lock and key to avoid theft. Bikes are a hot commodity these days. Know what to do in case of a flat tire. You can never be too prepared.

Editor Max Crumpley explains the financial and health benefits to biking in Power to the pedal from our latest issue.

If you’re a beginner, check out these basics to stay safe:

  1. Don’t forget your helmet and other protective gear.
  2. Light up. It’s important that people are able to see you.
  3. Bring a lock and key to avoid theft. Bikes are a hot commodity these days.
  4. Know what to do in case of a flat tire. You can never be too prepared.

Filed under Sep/Oct Issue bike riding exercise cycling health

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Taking a dip in the pool this afternoon to cool off from the summer heat? Kill two birds with one stone and get your workout in, too. Here are a few reasons to take a swim today: The ability to do more with less - When submerged in the pool, up to 90 percent of our body weight is supported by the water. Increased muscle tone and strength - With each kick and stroke, you’re essentially doing resistance training for every muscle group Improved flexibility - It’s easy on the joints and helps stretch out all your muscles and even your spine. A healthier heart - Swimmingstrengthens the heart and helps it pump blood more efficiently. Weight control - You can burn up to 100 calories in 10 minutes. Find more ways swimming makes you healthier here.

Taking a dip in the pool this afternoon to cool off from the summer heat? Kill two birds with one stone and get your workout in, too. Here are a few reasons to take a swim today:

  1. The ability to do more with less - When submerged in the pool, up to 90 percent of our body weight is supported by the water.
  2. Increased muscle tone and strength - With each kick and stroke, you’re essentially doing resistance training for every muscle group
  3. Improved flexibility - It’s easy on the joints and helps stretch out all your muscles and even your spine.
  4. A healthier heart - Swimmingstrengthens the heart and helps it pump blood more efficiently.
  5. Weight control - You can burn up to 100 calories in 10 minutes.

Find more ways swimming makes you healthier here.

Filed under exercise swimming hot summer tips healthy

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With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, check out our helpful around-the-kitchen workouts to put your rear in gear while you prep, cook and clean. The workout featured here, the Pumpkin Twist, can also be done with other large ingredients like a turkey or ham. Here’s how it’s done. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold one ingredient with both hands in front of your body, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees.  Lunge forward with your right foot so it’s also at a 90 degree angle and your left knee is inches away from the floor.  While in the lunge position, twist your body to the right, reaching across with the ingredient in your hands. Twist back across your body and return to the starting position.  Step forward with your left foot and twist your body to the left for one complete rotation.  Do two to three sets of 10 reps. For even more convenient workouts to try out in the kitchen, head to page 50 of our October/November issue.

With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, check out our helpful around-the-kitchen workouts to put your rear in gear while you prep, cook and clean.

The workout featured here, the Pumpkin Twist, can also be done with other large ingredients like a turkey or ham. Here’s how it’s done.

  1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold one ingredient with both hands in front of your body, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees. 
  2. Lunge forward with your right foot so it’s also at a 90 degree angle and your left knee is inches away from the floor. 
  3. While in the lunge position, twist your body to the right, reaching across with the ingredient in your hands. Twist back across your body and return to the starting position. 
  4. Step forward with your left foot and twist your body to the left for one complete rotation. 
  5. Do two to three sets of 10 reps.

For even more convenient workouts to try out in the kitchen, head to page 50 of our October/November issue.

Filed under fitness exercise October/November issue