The TV Lover's Workout

By:
Liz Neporent

You're flopped on the couch and the only muscle you're moving is the one in the finger that pushes the channel-up button on the remote control. Sound familiar? It's what millions of us do every night. The same millions who complain that we'd work out if only we had more time.

Time is something we seem to have plenty of, as long as it involves being glued to the tube. The average American watches nearly four hours of TV a day. That's 28 hours a week! Sure doesn't leave much time for activities that get us sweaty and make our hearts pound -- unless we're talking Fear Factor -- does it?

Well, with a little effort, you can have your E! True Hollywood Story and a bod like Buffy's too. It's a matter of seeing your viewing time as a golden opportunity to sneak in some physical activity. Here are a few suggestions for turning up the volume on fat burning and muscle toning while you watch, followed by a 30-minute sample workout. They're as easy as ABC. Uh, no pun intended.

Do something. Do anything. Work your middle during Malcolm. Touch your toes during Touched by an Angel. But don't just sit there! Even if you walk on your treadmill at a snail's pace, it's better than nothing. Put it this way: Stroll along at three miles an hour while reliving Chandler and Monica's wedding, and you'll burn off about 130 calories. Root your glutes to the sofa, and you'll only use up about 30 calories.

Learn how to use that black box near your TV. Get acquainted with your VCR or TiVo so you can stockpile your primetime faves for a more convenient workout time. There's nothing like a few fresh episodes of Will and Grace to keep you pedaling along for an extra 20 minutes.

Reshape your buns, perfect your hams, beef up your arms. Hey wait, that sounds a lot like a TV dinner. Actually, it's a suggestion for what you can do during the commercials. That two minutes and two seconds between program segments is the perfect amount of time to do some leg lifts, a few stretches or a couple of sets of arm curls. Work different muscle groups each time, or if there is a particular area on your body you want to focus on, you can always rerun ... er ... repeat the same exercises during the next commercial break.

You are the weakest link ... now do 30 crunches! Every time someone on your favorite program uses The Big Catch Phrase, that's your cue to "kick it up a notch." When Reege asks, "Is that your final answer?" push out a set of push-ups. When Homer says "D'oh!" do a set of squats. And when anyone on any reality show on any network utters the word "alliance," that's your cue to lead your entire family in a group workout!

Get out the pliers. Remember the good old days when those Nick at Night classics were in first run and your Dad's pliers took the place of the channel knob? Pretend your remote doesn't exist. (It's probably buried under the couch cushions anyway.) You'll burn a few extra calories every time you get up to change the channel. There's also a good chance that watching TV will become so exhausting you'll simply give up and go for a workout.

For people who like to watch, the following workout is the perfect combo of eyerobics and aerobics. It'll turn any 30-minute TV show into a "fit-com" by burning approximately 225 calories and toning your muscles.

To help you get pumped up without missing any key plotlines, this routine is split up into intervals -- you'll do easy cardio during the show and toning during the commercial breaks. For best results, include this in your at-least-three-times-a-week workout schedule. Note: If your favorite program is an hour long, simply double each exercise sequence.

Opening Credits/Theme Song
Warm up by gently circling your arms and doing low kicks with your legs.

1st Segment
March in place lifting your knees to waist level and vigorously pumping your arms. If you have a step, step up and down on it; if you have a piece of exercise equipment such as a bike or treadmill, point it towards the TV and use it at a moderate intensity.

Commercial
Do three sets of leg lifts, 15 reps each side per set. (A) Stand with your feet hip width apart, hands on your hips. Bend both knees slightly and shift most of your weight onto your left leg. (B) Keeping your knee slightly bent, lift your right leg up and out to the side, about 6 inches. Lower to the start. Repeat all reps with the right leg then left leg.

2nd Segment
March in place (or use your step or exercise equipment).

Commercial
Do 3 sets of arm curls using hand weights, soup cans or book ends of equal weight for resistance. (A) Hold a weight in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing forward. Stand with your feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. (B) Curl the weights up to your shoulders and then lower to the start.

3rd Segment March in place. Every time your show's Big Catch Phrase is used, stop and do one set of the following exercises. Alternate through the exercises and do 15 reps per set. (If your show does not have a Big Catch Phrase -- hard to imagine -- do these exercises just before the next commercial break.)

• Crunches: Lie on the floor with your feet hip width apart. Cradle your head in your hands without lacing your fingers together and with your elbows rounded slightly inward. Tilt your chin a little bit toward your chest and pull your abdominal muscles in. Exhale through your mouth as you curl your head, neck and shoulders up off the floor. Hold at the top of the movement for a moment, then inhale as you slowly lower down.
  
• Push-Ups: Lie on your stomach, bend your knees and cross your ankles. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the floor, a bit to the side and in front of your shoulders. Straighten your arms and lift your body so you're balanced on your palms and knees. Tuck your chin a few inches toward your chest so your forehead faces the floor. Tighten your abdominals. Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up.
  
• Squats: Stand tall with your feet as wide as your hips, your weight slightly back on your heels and place your hands on your hips. Sit back and down as if you're sitting into a chair directly behind you. Lower as far as you can without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward (this depends on your flexibility and your build). If you can bend your knees far enough so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, don't go any further than that and don't allow your knees to travel out in front of your toes. Once you feel your upper body fold forward over your thighs, straighten your legs and stand back up. Take care not to lock your knees at the top of the movement.

Commercial
Do one set each of these 3 stretches holding each for 10 slow counts.

• Hamstring Stretch: Stand tall with your feet straddled a few inches apart, right leg in front. Lift your right toe off the floor, and keeping your back straight, lean forward until you feel a stretch through the back of your leg.
  
• Quad Stretch: Stand tall and hold onto your sofa with your right hand for support. Bend your right leg and grasp the heel in your left hand. Repeat with the other leg.
  
• Chest Stretch: Stand tall and clasp your hands behind your back. Press your arms upward until you feel a stretch through your arms, chest and shoulders.

Closing Credits
Take 4 long, deep breaths then sit down on the couch and watch some more TV. Now you've earned it.