5 ways to exercise without leaving your house AT ALL.

By NATALIA HAWK

It is winter. It is cold. You want to avoid going outside as much as possible, yes?

I understand. I do. I could happily spend the rest of Winter 2013 sitting in front of the television and heater, dressed in pale blue sausage-dog-print pyjamas and matching ugg boots.

But sadly, there is exercise to be done. Exercise that usually involves venturing outside. Which sucks, because – as previously established – it’s cold out there. And no matter how many “insulated” running tops you buy, it’s still going to be cold out there.

Today, I am here to help you exercise without actually venturing out of your house at any point. Bonus: You’ll save time by not having to drive to the gym, park, etc etc. Extra bonus: You won’t even have to put pants on. WINNING.

1. Exercise DVDs

Exercise DVDs are the answer to every exercise problem ever. They’re generally reasonably priced and, providing you have enough room in your living room, they’re essentially a group fitness class that you can do anytime of the day with nobody else watching.

In case you don’t even know where to begin, here are some of the most popular options:

– Zumba – I love Zumba and bought some kind of megakit which includes something like 8 DVDs so that you never run out of/get bored of the workouts. Pricey-ish but worth it if you get a lot of use out of it. Also – you can do all the moves without fear that somebody is watching you and laughing at you.

– Michelle Bridges DVDs – There are a whole lot available and you can pick and choose, depending on what kind of workout you’re after – they’ll only set you back about $30 each.

– Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred – The Biggest Loser trainer from the US released this DVD and it’s quite a challenging workout – and it’ll only take you 30 mins every day for 30 days (or longer if you want). Three different levels ensure that you’re building up fitness, but be prepared to feel ALL THE PAIN after about day 3.

– Insanity – This is a 60 day workout program which is apparently the “hardest workout programme ever put on DVD”. Hence I have not been brave enough to try it. But you should.

– Brazil Butt Lift – This workout program targets your hips, thighs and butt and generally works muscles that you never even knew you had. And oh my god is it painful – in a good way. Although you’d expect to be in some pain after doing about 7 billion squats* (*may be an exaggeration).

– Tracey Anderson Metamorphosis – Mia’s covered this one before here. From reading that, I gather that it’s… um… quite intense. But hey, works for Gwyneth!

Look to eBay and Amazon to nab any of the above before looking elsewhere – you’ll probably be able to hunt down a bargain copy and save yourself some cashola.

2. Youtube goodness

Don’t want to spend money on DVDs? Look no further than good old Youtube. Youtube videos are especially good for pilates and yoga workouts – Blogilates is one very popular Youtube user.

Youtube is also good if you’re at home and unsure about a move that you might be doing – many personal trainers have uploaded videos with exact instructions on how to do everything from burpees to crunches.

3. Apps

The post about apps a few weeks back had plenty of people raving about Nike Training Club, which provides full-body 30 or 45 minute workouts – and it’s FREE!

4. Cross training

If you’re happy to buy some equipment, you can set up a circuit in your own house, inspired by circuit-training classes at the gym. Medicine balls, skipping ropes, kettle balls and weights are all good, and you can incorporate push-ups, sit-ups, step-ups, crunches and runs around the room to get a decent workout. Google “circuit training workout” if you don’t quite know where to start. And you won’t need that big of a room – your lounge room or garage will be fine.

5. Dancing

When all else fails, there is nothing wrong with plugging in your iPod and dancing around the house to your favourite songs. NOTHING. My current favourite is “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” from the Great Gatsby soundtrack but hey, whatever turns your sausages.

Do you exercise indoors, or do you actually venture outdoors in winter?