Around The House Workout

Let’s face it, even if you have the best intentions to fit in a quick 30-minute workout those plans can quickly fall by the wayside when you see the pile of laundry stacked up. Managing your day-to-day list of chores on top of work, family life, and dare-we-say self-care can feel like a dead-end street. Trust us, we get it.

We see your pain and want you to know we’re here to support you and help keep your goals top of mind this year. We’ve enlisted the help of a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and busy mom of two to help us put together this at home workout – no home gym required.

You might think you won’t get the same burn as your traditional workout routine (or a HIIT workout), but rest assured, you will soon realize that isn’t the case. In fact, depending on the layout of your home, you may even get more steps logged on to your fitness tracker performing these exercises than you would during a gym workout. And, at the end of the day, what’s the worst that can happen from giving this a shot? You move your body, get more endorphins flowing, and have a little more energy to tackle the rest of your to-do list – we see no downside!

HITT WORKOUT AT HOME

The beauty of this beginner’s workout at home is that you don’t have to follow a rigid structure. While we’ve offered some suggestions for you, you can incorporate exercises based on what you have to do that day. Every moment of movement counts, remember that.

Exercises to Perform Around the House

• 5 Minute Warm-Up

  • Get your blood circulating by doing a quick sweep of your house and evaluate what you need to tackle that day. Kitchen a mess? Bathrooms need a deep cleaning? Whether you write it down or make a mental list, walking through every room of your house will help to get your heart rate up as well as mentally prepare your body what muscles you’re about to work on. 

• Total Body Workout

  • Sweeping & Mopping
    • 100 Lunges – 50 Forward + 50 Reverse Alternating Legs
      • Feel the burn as you sweep up the crumbs your kids left behind or mop up the dirt your partner dragged in! Alternate sets of 10 lunges forward and reverse five times per leg until you reach a combined total of 100 lunges. We promise, if you’re not feeling it yet, you soon will be when you hit the next routine.
      • Modification:
        • Modify how deep you’re bending your front knee. If you have knee pain, omit the lunge and focus on keeping your abdominals tight as you sweep and mop. Use this as a core focus instead.
  • Vacuuming
    • 100 Jump Squats
      • You asked for a workout, we’re delivering. This is your cardio circuit. Use these jump squats to get your heart rate up. Focus on 10 sets of 10, 4 sets of 25, or a combination of whatever your body tolerates best.
      • Modification:
        • Touch the floor with your hands and reach them up towards the ceiling. Keep your feet on the floor.
  • Toilet Cleaning
    • 30 Second Squat Hold x 4
      • As you squat down to brush that toilet bowl, get your squat stance ready. Whether you’re listening to Spotify hold the squat for the chorus of your favorite song or simply count to 30 by Mississippi’s in your head, repeat 4 times (or as many as you can tolerate) to feel your glutes activate.
      • Modification:
        • Omit the hold if the pressure is too much and focus on slow squats with a two-count up and down.
  • Laundry Folding
    • 100 Calf-Raises
      • Whether you have a pile the size of Mount Everest or a few towels to get through, use the laundry as your opportunity to tone those calves. Again, you can choose the sets and number of raises you do in them, just try to aim for 100 total.
      • Modification:
        • Toe taps in and out.
  • Dusting
    • 50 Tricep Dips
      • Get the dust off those end tables and cabinets while you do a little tricep activation in between. Use the edge of a couch, chair, or whatever sturdy surface you have and repeat dips in 5 sets of 10.
      • Modification:
        • Slowly extend your tricep back using the bottle of window cleaner as your “weight.”
  • Window Washing
    • 50 Lateral Raises
      • Take the cleaning detergents (roughly ones of the same weight) and between windows do 10 lateral raises in 5 sets, focusing on bringing the bottles together behind your back so your shoulders activate too.
      • Modification:
        • Omit the bottles and focus on form without weights. Refrain from going behind your back if you have shoulder problems. Decrease the number of sets.
  • Empty the Trash
    • 50 Bicep Curls - Alternate Arms
      • Use the good ole’ garbage as your weight for bicep activation. Repeat 5 sets of 10 on each arm to feel the bicep burn, then toss the trash and get ready to cool down.
      • Modification:
        • Omit the trash bag and focus on form. Decrease the number of sets.

• Cool-Down

• Use this time to put away the pile of clothes you just folded. Instead of putting all the clothes in the basket and making one trip, take them individually to each spot in your home where the items belong to get a few more steps in while also allowing your heart rate to return to resting. And, when time permits and you’re back at your desk, incorporate these simple stretches to help your body relax and recover. 

DIETITIAN TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT

Keep in mind that in order to get the most out of your workout you must have the same mindset as you would when entering the gym and fuel your tank accordingly. Having a :ratio Cultured Dairy Snack is a great idea prior to tackling your list as it packs 16 grams of protein, providing the energy you need to keep you going.

Need a little something to recharge if you’ve tackled every room of your house? Then grab a :ratio Chewy Bar. It provides a good source of protein at 11 grams per bar in a convenient and portable snack. 

We can’t wait to see how you make this around the house workout your own. Be sure to tag us @ratiofood so we can celebrate your wins and cheer you on. You’ve got this.  

*Always consult your physician before starting an eating plan that involves regular consumption of high fat foods. See information for calorie, total fat and sat. fat content.