10 Ways to Work Out While You Veg Out

I was lying on the couch, as I do far too often, and thought to myself “I should be working out right now” then I also thought “but I love this show and I am so comfortable!” I am sure I am not the only who has had those thoughts. These are the thoughts that leave us feeling guilty while remaining immobile. This thought process sparked an idea! What if I could work out without leaving the couch or missing my TV program? So I came up with a modified work out based one the average living room.

The information I am offering is simply my opinion and the exercises I have used while watching the boob tube and generally being a more effective couch potato. Further: the terms I use or names I use to identify the exercises are mostly of my own creation. I don’t pretend to be an expert, I am just another woman among many women and men struggling to find much needed motivation and lose weight. As with any form of exercise you should speak with your physician before beginning any exercise regimen.

Semi-Effortless Lower Body

Lateral Leg Lifts

Laying on your side raise leg up and down, repeat this motion until muscle is fatigued. Flip over on your other side and repeat the same steps. This exercise works out your hips, outer thighs, and inner thighs.

Frontal leg lift

While lying on your back with your head and neck flat, raise both legs up and slowly down with out completely releasing the contraction. Do not use momentum to raise or lower your legs. Do focus on the muscles in your lower abdomen and maintain controlled movements.

Sofa-Cycle

This exercise is similar to the frontal leg lift. While lying on your back (floor or couch), place your hand behind your neck, and bring both legs in toward your chest. With controlled movements and a relaxed neck extend left leg out, bring right leg in while raising your shoulder up and extending you left elbow to the right knee. Repeat this extending right leg out and bring left knee to right elbow. Continue this until you can’t do any more repetitions.

Butt Crunch

Place yourself on the floor positioned on all fours. Hands should be placed shoulder width apart and knees should be hip width apart. Kick Left leg up at a ninety degree angle and bring it back down. Repeat until the muscle is fatigued, then switch legs and follow the steps above. You will feel this in your hips and gluteus maximus (if not today then tomorrow).

Back Extension

Lying flat on your tummy place you hands under your chin. Imagine your body being pulled in opposite directions while you raise your chin and legs up and out. Hold the position for 15 seconds, then lower and repeat 3 more times.

Commercial Cardio

When ever I find myself stuck in front of the television and I know I should be sweating off the pounds, I pull my self off the couch and either jog in place or run around the living room during commercial. The harder I push myself the more I raise my heart rate. You can make up any exercise that gets you up and moving, and will raise you heart rate. Doing cardio on commercials and strength exercises while watching TV, you will be doing an interval workout, known for being highly effective.

Yoga Ball Push-Up

If you have a yoga ball (ten dollars at target) place your tummy on the ball and roll forward until your calves are all the is resting on the ball. You arms should be shoulder width apart. Press up and down for 1 minute or until you can’t do any more. This works your abs, shoulders, chest, and arms.

If you don’t have a yoga ball or are not able to do a regular push up you can easily modify the move by either placing your knees on the grounds or leaning up against a wall. With any push up you should be sure to tighten your tushy and abs and keep body in a slant.

Tricep Dips

Place yourself sitting on either the edge of the couch, coffee table, or chair with your arms directly behind. Your hands should be facing forward. Now keeping your hands and arms in the same position use them to push your body up and then down. Your tush should drop nearly to the ground and your back should be straight. Repeat this motion until your muscle is fatigued.

Yoga Ball Military Press

Raise your arms up as though you were flexing your sexy muscles and press them up over you head and back down. You can do this with a yoga ball, or two magazines for extra resistance. This works out your shoulders.

Magazine Biceps

Sitting or standing and with or with out weights place your arms at your side flexing your fore arm up and down. You want to keep your muscles tight and only move your fore arm. Repeat this movement until the muscles in your bicep is fatigued.

Stretch

Inner Thighs

Sitting on the floor spread your legs as far apart as you can. Lean your upper body forward, then to the left side touching your left toe, and finally bending to the right sight touching your right toe. You will feel this stretch in your inner thighs.

Outer Thighs

Lying on you side reach the arm you are not lying on behind you and grab your foot and pull your leg behind you. Flip over and repeat this movement on the other side.

Booty Stretch

Lying back down on your back, bring on leg in to your chest. For more of a stretch straiten the leg out and pull it in toward your chest.

Chest

Lock your hand behind your back and raise them up as far as is comfortable for you. This move opens up your chest and feels amazing!

Triceps

Raise one arm above your head and bend at the elbow. With your other arm place you hand on the bent elbow and pull slightly .Switch arms and repeat this motion.

Low-Fat Movie Snack

Drinks

• Crystal light only 5 calories
• Carbonated water: delicious, cheap, and 0 calories!

Food

• Light butter or 100 cal pack popcorn
• 100 cal pack snacks
• Kellogg’s bowl cereal with low fat milk

Well, these are my suggestions for attacking the couch potato in you with out leaving the living room. I hope you find these helpful. They certainly have been for me. Good luck on your weight loss journey. I know it is no easy task. Stay positive and remember that at least you are trying. One work out is still more activity then no workout.