Dances with Laundry

We all know I'm a cardio freak, but let's face it, sometimes there just isn't a gym in sight! What's an ellitpical-junkie to do???

It's raining outside. There are no workout videos in the house and the computers are all located in places where there is no room to move. This is where there can be a dilemma. This is also where we have to go old-school with how to both get our workout in and entertain ourselves. You know, before the age of youtube...

There are plenty of ways to get some great cardio exercise without even leaving your house. Being home for a few days, I have come to find ways of exercising that are surprising and effective. And I learned them all from my mom!

My mom has a nickname in my house: "Dances with Laundry" and this is for a very good reason. In the morning, when she's doing the housework she puts her iPod on and dances around while she does it. She is totally grooving while she folds laundry, dancing around while she mops the tile and can't stop moving her feet while she does the dishes. It's awesome to watch because I know that even though she is sweating and burning TONS of calories, she is only thinking about how much fun she's having.

I've had to get a little creative myself while I was here. I've gone to the gym, but they just aren't as good here as they are in Jax, so I'm trying to supplement some weight-lifting workout at home. That, I've found, is what the kitchen is for.

I saw my mom lifting weights in the kitchen in between doing housework and getting ready for her day. she wasn't lifting traditional weights, though. She was lifting gallons of milk. It's a great weight for bicep curls and lateral raises. I tried it after she left for work, and I'm also using bottles of water for tricep kickbacks. My arms are getting a great workout and I only had to step five feet into my kitchen to do it! It's awesome!

Am I doing any cardio at home? Of course! This is taking me back to my childhood here, but if you have a carpeted floor and some plastic bags, you are good to go for this cardio-filled leg-blaster! Tie a plastic bag around each of your feet and step onto the carpet (put on some music so you have a beat to keep you energized and entertained) and "skate" around on the carpet! It's an amazing leg workout and you'll be huffing, puffing and sweating real good in no time. The best part is, no one is home to watch me look completely silly. But it's so much fun, I wouldn't care if they were!

What can you do to get a workout at home?