10 Exercises to do while watching TV

I am the queen of multi tasking. I love to squeeze in a little exercise each day and I don't mind a little TV. My current obession is 'The Walking Dead'. So I can do these 10 exercises in my lounge room while watching one episode.

So I get my fix and workout in one go.

I like to start with a warm up run on the treadmill. Running on the spot or skipping are both great too.  Try for 10 minutes and have a little stretch when you finish.

1. Squats. Stand straight with your legs shoulder width apart.  Hold your arms out parallel to the floor, bend your knees and slowly lower your bottom just like you are about to sit on the loo. Then slowly rise. Repeat x 15

2. Side leg raises. Standing straight again. Hold onto a chair for balance if you like. Image a straight line through your head down your body and through your support leg. Slowly raise the other leg directly out to the side. Don't point your toe or move any other part of your body but you can bend your support leg slightly. Only raise your leg about 30cm and hold for 1 second before lowering. Repeat x 15 then change legs.

3. Push ups. You know your level. Either on your knees or toes. Keep your back and neck straight.  If you find these too hard you can start by doing a standing one against a wall and work yourself up to the doing floor push ups.

4. Triceps dips. Use the edge of the lounge or a dining room chair for tricep dips. Face away from the bench and place your arms shoulder width apart. Keep your back close to the bench, arms straight legs slightly infront with knees bent. Slowly bend and lower your body towards the floor. Then rise again. repeat x 15

5. Plank hold. Similar to planking. On your toes and elbows. Keep your body straight from your ears to toes, no sagging. Elbows under your shoulders and hold for as long as you can.

6. Sit ups. Pull you toes under the couch if this helps. Puts your arms across chest and slowly lower down then back up x 20

7.  Wall sits. Lean your back against the wall and then slide down until your thighs are parallel to the ground and your calves are at a right angle to the ground. Then hold that position until you can't hold it anymore. If this is too easy. Hold you arms up straight above your head.

8. Walking lunges. Step lung, step lunge, etc etc. Nice and steady. Keep your back straight. 40 steps. If you don't have the space, then just do it on the spot.

9. Step ups. You can use your stairs or even a stable chair or coffee table. Stability is important. Step up, step down. 10 times on each leg.

10. Star jumps x 20. It could be worse - I could have suggested burpees.

Rest for 2 mins (or put on a load of washing) and do it all again, twice more if possible.

If you have some weights - or cans there are many other exercises too.

AND, here is Monday's motivating playlist

Landside - Dixie Chicks
Pink - There you go
One More Night - Maroon 5
Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne
Wings - Little Mix
Jai Ho - Ar Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls
Die Young - Kei$ha
Black and Gold - Sam Sparro
Case of the Ex - Mya
She Wolf - David Guetta

Have a great week!

Run, run, run

I had the most excellent run along the waterfront this morning.  Great weather, a nice pace, a beautiful view and I got into the zone. You know the zone, the one when you pretend you are P!nk. 10 kilometres and I think I could have kept on going. But, reality called and I had to get back to get the girls ready for school.

I felt great after my run. It's like all the crap clogging up my head has been was blown away. My to-do list is going to be my b!tch today.


What gets your head in the right place?

My running playlist was full of strong (maybe slightly angry) women - it was perfect:

1. I don't believe you - P!nk
2. Shake your Pom Pom - Missy Elliot
3. There you you - P!nk
4. Hips Don't lie - Shakira
5. Blow Me - P!nk
6. Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
7. Raise your glass - P!nk
8. Trick Me - Kellis
9. Just like a Pill - P!nk
10. When I grow up - Pussycat Dolls 
11. I never liked you - Rogue Traders
12. So What! - P!nk
13. Here I come - Fergie

A Couch Potato's Guide....

Today I have a guest post over at Happy House Wifey as part of her Monday Motivation series. I have written a couch potato's guide for getting into exercise.

Please visit and say hello.

Lost in the Scarborough Area - Gym motivation

I am fairly active, I have always been a member of a gym. Currently it's Genesis at Rothwell. I really got out of my routine over the Christmas school holidays. It would have cost $8 each day to put my girls into the creche and my budget wouldn't cover it. Lucky I have my trusty Cardio Tech x9 treadmill. Most people are bored by treadmills, I understand but they should really try my technique, iPad2 on magazine rack to play Word with Friends (this does give me a slight handicap, but I manage to win enough games), the most awesome series ever "Boardwalk Empire" on Apple TV in front of me, nice and loud, and the air-conditioning cranked up. I am so distracted I forget I am running. I usually try to run 12-15km each session and I'll do this about 5 times a week.

Last week I ventured out to the gym for the first time on Friday to attend a Body Combat class (thank you Nat).  It was fantastic, the class was so much fun and I am ready to throw myself back into classes and weights, I can't run away forever (a little pun there). When I tried to get out of bed Saturday I felt like I had been ran over by a truck. I could barely walk up stairs. Sunday was even worse, I cried at the idea of going to the toilet. That'll teach me not to be a slacker.

On Wednesday I'll be joining into the spin class, I know there will be tears on Thursday.