I love the feeling of exercise when it's disguised as something else (e.g., mowing the lawn or hiking to a picnic).. it's so fun to see my FitBit at the end of the day with numbers MUCH higher than usual, and I barely even noticed I did anything!

My question is how I may be able to apply this at home or in my backyard on a regular basis. My schedule doesn't really allow me to get to a gym for classes, there's only so much yardwork I can do, and the idea of repetitively lifting weights or running around the neighborhood is so unmotivating to me. I try to force myself to do it anyway, but it's far from becoming a habit. I'm hoping to try some "outside the box" ways of doing cardio or strength training. Any suggestions?

I did this for ages and to good effect. I would (still do) walk to work. Mow (still do) the lawn. Tile a floor. Go grocery shopping (still do). Clean the house (still do). And it was all good exercise that brought good losses.

BUT

One day a colleague took me to the gym. And I really enjoyed it.

A few months later, someone on here suggested I tried running and I dismissed the idea but eventually tried, ran half a mile and it almost killed me.

But the end result now is that I run at least 4 miles most days, weight train most days and do boxing too. And this has been far more effective than my old integration into my lifestyle techniques.

So the bottom line, is yes you can do this. But try the other stuff when you get the chance and don't just dismiss it as you can't or do not want to. You may be pleasantly surprised. Especially if you can weight train or run with friends.

It is pretty hard to find stuff around the house to burn equivalent to gym time for long term, but sure there are things that burn a lot of calories. When I was doing major projects, I didn't go to the gym, and nothing suffered as a result. As a matter of fact, strength got better after we laid a stone path in our yard a few years back!


Today I ripped up 680 square feet of carpeting and the mat beneath it - bagged it up, etc.

I mow the lawn, weed the garden, rake the leaves. ALL those things are great exercise and serve a purpose beyond just to exercise for the sake of exercising.

As a matter of fact THAT kind of stuff is how people used to stay trim- walking to markets, hauling stuff, working outside, etc.

Unfortunately, most of these projects cost money - except weeding and mowing :-)

I don't go to gyms anymore, just lift weights in a spare room and because of the heat where I live I also do cardio in the form of walking inside the house to get Fitbit steps (can't run anymore either). When it's not hot I walk in a local park or in the neighborhood.

Videos can be streamed or or purchased for use inside the house.

Plain old housework can be done vigorously to music.

Dogs can be played with or taken for a walk.

When I am working at home, I sandwich in quick exercise breaks, lifting weights or walking.

When hanging up the laundry I leave the basket in another room than the closet and walk back and forth picking up one piece at a time to hang up. It doesn't take that much extra time but does help to ratchet up the step count.

DANCE!
stick some music on and shake that booty!
lose weight, have fun

If you don't like running in your neighbourhood why not drive somewhere scenic to run instead. I have found this has motivated me, although at the moment I do walking instead of running.

Oh definitely to dancing! My son has all the Just Dance videos and a few similar. He dances for 2-3 hours EVERY day. If I did it with him? I would be SKINNY!

Running is not the only way to exercise!

You live in NYC, this shouldn't be a problem. I live a block away from the closest subway station yet I walk to a further stop. I also get out one, possibly 2 stops earlier than my destination depending on how much time I have and walk the rest of the way. There's lots of stairs in nyc too, the rule for me is that it's 3 or less flights I take the stairs. I walk all my errands, pharmacy/grocery/bank/dentist etc. If it's within a mile from my house I walk there.

And when I want to get a really good workout at home I mop. Clean out closets. Empty out the fridge. Do several loads of laundry. I like to do squats/lunges/planks during commercial breaks if I'm watching tv.

Plus, I work out daily.

This is goofy, but I enjoy occasionally doing exercise games for my favorite TV shows. They're like drinking games, except for drinking whenever someone does something, you do 25 jumping jacks, 20 squats, or something like that. You can find them on the internet or even make your own.

I did this for two episodes of Lost yesterday. If someone was kissing, crying, or dying, I'd do 20 shoulder presses; fighting/running/or pulling a weapon was 20 squats; every flashback was 25 jumping jacks; every time a boat/plane/raft/etc. or the hatch appeared on screen - 10 pushups and if someone took their shirt off, a 30 second plank or wall sit. It turns out someone is pretty much always doing one of these things on Lost.

That's definitely an interesting way to exercise!

When my whole family gets together for a cookout or a holiday/birthday we always play some sport too. Typically kickball or lightning (a basketball type game). On Christmas we had a full blown Nerf gun war and other times we've had water balloon fights. You'd be amazed at the workout you can get from playing like you're a little kid again.

You can find Just Dance on YouTube. I went to Disc Replay and stocked up on old DVD workouts. For me personally, the cheesier the better. Plus, for $2.22 each, how could you go wrong? Now when I make dinner, do housework, etc I put on Sweating to the Oldies. Or Zumba. Or Jane Fonda from the mid 80s. Sometimes I laugh more than I dance (the hair, the leotards, the music, the moves can all be pretty entertaining. ) Laughter is good medicine; kinda like exercise!

LOL! In the 90's my friends and I did Richard Simmon's "Dance Your Pants Off" a few times and to this day, when I hear the songs from that video, I remember the silly routines.

I love all of these ideas. Thank you

^I love this idea... Thanks

ETA: I just recently found an original "Deal-A-Meal" set on Amazon and even though I never did that 'back in the day" I just had to have it... All I can say is what a hoot!

I'm so going to get "Sweating to the Oldies" now...

I plank while on the computer, or do situps while watching my favorite show. It's definitely not disguising the workout, but it turns otherwise potato time into some strength training time.
I also stretch while cuddling my bunny- always a good way to do it

I know it's been said, but dancing while cooking or doing laundry is so much fun! I just play whatever upbeat songs I've been craving to listen to and be a goof. I'm also now really interested in those dvds... I did just get my grant check