Lose Weight without Leaving the House

There are a lot of reasons why you might not be terribly keen about hitting the gym. For one thing, there’s a financial consideration when it comes to sign-up registration fees and ongoing monthly membership dues. For another, the location of the gym may not be convenient for you—and with the price of gas these days, driving those extra miles might be another financial strain. And let’s face it: Some gyms simply don’t provide an atmosphere where you can feel comfortable in a dowdy sweat suit instead of being hermetically sealed into work out garb fashioned out of a few inches of spandex. Who needs that?

Fortunately, your house or apartment provides the perfect environment to get a great work out in, no matter how you’re dressed. And you certainly can’t beat the location, can you? Your own home also has all the fitness equipment you’ll ever need, although you may not realize it. In fact, your home has everything that a professional gym or health club has to offer to help you to lose weight without getting out of your slippers or opening the front door. Better yet, it’s free!

Let’s take a tour of your abode right now so you can get started losing weight at home today!

Got canned soup? Even rinsed out milk containers or soda bottles can become effective weights when filled with water. Take a look around your pantry or recycling bin to see what’s available.

Define your deltoids in a doorway. Say goodbye to ‘mother arms’ (sorry, mom) when you tone up the deltoid muscles of your upper under arms. Just stand in any doorway with your arms at your sides. Then, with palms facing out, brace against each side of the doorway and push. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.

Step up to stairway push-ups. For this exercise, it won’t be necessary to get down on the floor like you do when performing traditional push-ups. While standing at the foot of the stairs, reach forward and position your hands on the step that will allow you to push off while keeping your elbows shoulder height.

Bring up the rear with a chair. Stand in front of a chair or stool and take turns with each leg by standing on one foot while ‘stepping’ on the chair with the other. Believe it or not, you’ll feel the ‘burn’ in your butt in a matter of minutes with this simple exercise.

Burn calories by cleaning house. Domestic duties and household chores are a great way to keep your home and your figure fit at the same time. Here’s a rundown on the average number of calories you can burn in an hour per activity:

Mopping/sweeping: 220
Painting: 135
Scrubbing floors by hand: 400
Vacuuming: 175
Washing dishes: 120
Washing windows: 250