Get off the couch! (June 2009)

Whether it’s the April showers or just the summer’s storms, when I see rain, I immediately gravitate towards my bedroom. If I’m at work, I want to go home. If I’m shopping, I’d rather be shopping online from my couch with my cat buried under my blanket. I don’t like trying to feel comfortable in my finest threads even though the gales and torrential downpour has me drenched. Not my idea of a good time.

Another lukewarm idea of a good time that has me reaching for my duvet is the everyday work week. I can definitely handle my job well and am good at what I do but sometimes when faced with all of my daily responsibilities, I just want to hit snooze and roll over. The morning commute, the daily grind, conference calls, team meetings, lunch meetings, rush hour traffic, road rage, and then finally 8.5 hours later, relaxation! Some people are self-motivated enough to push through the daily grind and bad weather to frequent a gym or workout facility, whether to de-stress or simply to be fit. I’m here to tell you that there is another alternative to getting your workout on, without having to wrestle with the elements or a crazy workday.

My idea of a good time in those situations is to go home. Yes, home. Remember that place where you occasionally eat and where your bed and clothes are located, maybe even a neglected pet?
I believe the average American probably spends a grand total of 13 hours at home daily; 6-8 hours of those are spent asleep which only leaves 5-7 awake hours, and more than likely 4 of those are spent in front of the television. Why not use some of those TV hours to workout in your very own living room!

For a year now, I have set up my living/dining room to be a living room/mini Peak Fitness. Walmart has an entire row of home workout tools, such as DVDs and weights, thus making your workout routine a mobile one. Not that I’m recommending taking your weights to work, though I have seen a coworker use a ball as a chair replacement for his desk. Megastores like Walmart, Target and even Marshalls have some of the basic tools that can be used at home when all you have are 4-6 stress-free hours to spend before falling asleep.

For example:

· A Body Ball. A good size that wouldn’t be too cumbersome for a living room would be either a 55cm or a 65cm. The one I have came with a meditation CD, a chart of exercise illustrations and an air pump with which to inflate the ball. Prices range from $15-$20.00

· Free weights/Weighted balls. A good set of weights also ranges from $15-$20. It’s quite easy to get your bicep curls in while watching Grey’s Anatomy.

· Pilates or Yoga DVDs. I am totally addicted to my “10 Minute Solutions: Slim & Sculpt Pilates” DVD. It has 5 ten minute workouts: Upper body, Lower body, Abs, Total body, and Pilates for Flexibility. You can choose to do them individually or straight through to make a great 50 minute sweat session! You can even create your 50 minute by personalizing it in the order of your preference. This DVD even came with two Pilates bands that can be used along with the video.

. Other general items that can be used are a jump rope and a yoga mat for those tough surfaces.



So hop to it couch potatoes! No longer can you blame it on being “too tired to go to the gym” or “not wanting to get caught in the bad weather.” Record your favorite TV shows and instead pop in a Pilates DVD or get some crunches done on your power ball while you’re at home! Summer is here and there’s no excuse for not getting in shape! Til next time…