Make The Most Of Commercial Breaks

Even though commercial breaks only last for a few minutes. There’s no reason why you couldn’t sneak in a few sneaky crunches or press-ups in these breaks.

This works especially well if you watch a lot of TV. Those 3-4 minute ad breaks build up you know?

If you wanted to do something a bit more energetic you could try jogging on the spot or even a quick run up and do the stairs.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I do realise that the number of people reading this article probably won’t do this, but hey, at least it gives you a few ideas just in case you felt motivated to :)

The idea is to get into a habit of doing things. If you did these sort of exercises for

Do Some Circuit Training

The fact that I have brought up “circuit training" means you are probably thinking of circuit training in a gym.

Now, we’re not talking about circuit training in a gym but we are talking about exercising different parts of your body whilst watching TV.

Here’s how you can do this:

Work on the upper body like press-ups/pushups, Dumbbell hammer curls, seated lateral raise etc in the first part of your programme.

Work on the lower body like calf raises, side lunges, full squats, and box jumps

Squats And Lunges

Believe it or not, these are the best types of exercises you can do in front of the TV.

Not only are they easy to do in your living room or lounge, but they will develop and tone your core and lower body without disturbing your viewing.

The great thing about these exercises is the fact that they work several muscle groups at the same time with the benefit of not going to the gym, but done in the comfort of your own home.

Hula Hoop

If you thought that hula hoops were just for kids, you would be wrong. If used properly, hula hoops can provide a really good workout.

They are not expensive to buy and they don’t even take up that much space in your home.

Did you know that using a hula hoop (especially a weighted one) will burn a ton of calories?

Even if you only use it for 10 minutes, you will still burn a lot of calories. It helps shape your waist and tone your core and abs.

Yoga

When we talk about Yoga, you don’t necessarily need to sit in a quiet room with your fingers together. Yoga can be done anywhere depending on the exercises you choose to do.

What is great about Yoga is the fact that you don’t need a lot of space to do it. It’s perfect for exercising in front of the TV.

Not only does it reduce your stress levels but it also helps develop your body strength.

If you’ve been having problems with general flexibility, then practicing yoga is definitely for you. You don’t need to be a master yoga practitioner from day one.

The great thing about yoga is the fact you take it at your own pace. Also, if you are willing to practice yoga consistently you will get better and better over time.

Get Some Home Gym Equipment

Gym equipment doesn’t need to be heavy duty and bulky. There are a ton of different pieces of equipment you can use at home you would find in the latest gym.

Here’s a list of equipment and tools you can use at home:

• Weighted armband
• TRX bands
• Yoga strap
• Weighted jump rope
• Resistance bands
• Medicine ball
• Dumbbells
• Kettlebells
• Balance balls
• Exercise bench
• Yoga mats
• Treadmill
• Air Rower
• Pushup Stands
• Foam Tiles
• Stationary Exercise Bike
• Foam Roller
• Pullup Bar

Lift Weights

Using weights is a great way to keep fit whilst watching the TV. The fact that they don’t take up too much space and can be quite easily stored makes them ideal. If you can, try to lift weights between commercials.

The only thing we would advise is to note down how many reps you’ve done and then steadily increase the number of reps each time.

Stability Ball

Instead of watching TV on your sofa have you ever thought of swapping it out for a stability ball?

Most people sit on the sofa relaxing throughout a whole programme or film. However, if you used a stability ball your body is working a lot harder due to the fact that you have to keep or readjust your position.

These balls are constantly working your core abdominal muscles and have been known to improve posture and even back pain.

Keep Your TV Snacks Healthy

Most people think they need to exercise to keep fit when watching TV. However, exercise isn’t the only way. Did you know, you can get fit by eating healthily?

What most people do is eat junk food and snacks whilst watching TV. The worst thing is when you are constantly being distracted you actually eat more.

You basically ignore the signals of being full because you are distracted.

If you fancy a snack, why not opt for fresh fruit, popcorn, Greek Yogurt, and Mixed Berries, Red Bell Pepper with Guacamole, mix nuts, Kale Chips and Celery Sticks with Cream Cheese?

Fidget

I’ve left this one till last. Not because it is one of my favourites, but because it is borderline getting fit. Research suggests you can burn up to 350 extra calories a day just by fidgeting. Here are a few ways I would suggest as a hack to getting fit while watching TV.

Instead of changing the channel with your remote control, why not go old school and actually get up and change the channel on the TV or on the SKY box instead?

Even typing away on your laptop burns calories.