Sweat It Out at Home!

When you're feeling the pinch of tough economic times — not to mention the demands of family life and other obligations — sometimes the gym just isn't an option. But that's no reason to skip a workout! There are plenty of ways to break a sweat and get fit in and around your home. And you don't have to buy expensive equipment to do it.

Here are just a few of my favorite at-home workout ideas:

• All the exercises on my site can be done at home — all you need is some inexpensive equipment — a pair of dumbbells, a mat, and a jump rope — and some space. If you don't want to spring for equipment, there are plenty of hard-core exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. The push-up is a classic exercise that will tone your chest, arms, and back; the lunge is fantastic for strengthening your lower body.
  
• Add some cardio to your morning routine with a run around the neighborhood or a quick jump-rope session. Because cardio represents weight-loss bonus points, add it in whenever you can. Working out in the morning, though, is a great way to wake yourself up and boost your energy for the entire day.
  
• When your kids head off to bed at night, do your circuit-training exercises. When little Jimmy's sleeping, you won't be distracted — you'll be ready to kick butt.
  
• Get creative and put to use common household items, such as soup cans and water bottles, as exercise equipment.
  
• Pick up a few workout DVDs. I have a whole collection of fitness DVDs that give you a complete workout: No More Trouble Zones offers a hard-core strength-training routine, Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism gives you a killer cardio workout, and 30-Day Shred is an intense total-body blast that's great when you're short on time.

www.jillianmichaels.com