How to Work Out While You're Binge-Watching Netflix
Cross it off your guilty pleasure list for good.
We've spent the better part of 2015 marathoning through seasons 1-7 of Gilmore Girls, and while watching Lorelei and Rory shoot the breeze (puns, pop culture references, et al) is kind of like brain exercise, our bodies have been in full-on hibernation mode. Now that all that "summer bodies are made in winter" talk is rearing its ugly head, we know we need to start getting in shape—but please don't let it interfere with our jam-packed TV-watching schedules?
It may sound too good (slash lazy) to be true, but thanks to three fitness experts, we now have six quick and easy exercises that cater to our poor Netflix-addicted souls. Just in time for the Friends revival.
- Try some Criss-Cross Jumping Jacks during commercial breaks. "Start standing with your feet together and arms by your side. Jump with your legs open and out to the side and cross arms overhead. Next, scissor legs, crossing left leg in front of the right, as left arm crosses over right at chest level. Repeat alternating sides, 25 times each." —Brooke Marrone, president and founder of Brooke Marrone training studio
- Sculpt your stems while lying in bed with Side Lying Leg Lifts. "While lying on your side, stack your legs and bring them out to a 45 degree angle in front of your body. Flex your feet and lift your top leg slightly higher than you hip and almost all the way back down. Aim for a total of 100 on each side." —Brooke Marrone
- Tone all over (legs, butt, shoulders, and back) with Chair Poses. "Begin standing with your feet together and big toes touching. Inhale, then lift your arms up until they are perpendicular to the floor with your pinkies rotating in. Exhale, then sit your hips back and bring your thighs as close to parallel with the floor as you can. Lean your torso slightly forward, shift your weight in your heels, and engage your core by drawing your belly button into your spine. Pull your shoulders down your back. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths." —Dempsey Marks, fitness trainer, yoga instructor, and founder of DempseyFit.com
- Do Bra Lifts and Squeezes with a pillow or stuffed animal to target your pectoral muscle, AKA the "natural bra." "Sit on a sofa with your back straight and tummy tucked in. Place the squeezable object between your palms. Do a series of 25 quick squeezes, then right away, a series of 10 slow squeezes. Rest 30 seconds, then repeat the routine four times." —Valerie Orsoni, founder of LeBootCamp.com and author of LeBootCamp Diet (out April 7, 2015)
- Also while on the sofa: Improve your posture, ease tension, and tone muscle with Upper Back Stretches. "Sit on a sofa with your back straight, tummy tucked in, and feet flat on the floor. Bring your shoulder blades together, then grab your left wrist with your right hand. Bring your shoulder blades even closer and pull your left wrist to the right until you feel a nice stretch. Keep the stretch for 30 seconds." —Valerie Orsoni
- Once your binge session is over, end it with Downward Dogs to boost circulation, as well as strengthen your arms and legs. "Start with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders with the weight shifted back into your heels and your feet shoulder width apart. Tuck your toes and pop your hips to the sky into your forward fold. Make sure to keep your shoulders down, hips high, and weight shifted into your heels. Breathe, holding for five seconds, and drop your knees down for a brief rest. Repeat six times." —Brooke Marrone
You should also check out:
How to Work Out While You're Getting Ready for Work
The Year of the Butt: How to Get What They've Got
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
I Researched Over 2,000 Beauty Gift Sets to Find 57 Options Worth Your Money
Holiday shopping made easy.
By Brooke Knappenberger Published
-
Meet Mia Rodgers, the Witty Brit Making Waves on 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' Season 3
Taylor is one of several new students on the Essex College campus this season.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
King Charles Might Take Back Some of the "Treasures" From Brother Prince Andrew's Home in Ongoing Battle Over Royal Lodge
One author says there's a possibility the Royal Collection Trust could "start taking the paintings and some of the furniture away."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Senator Klobuchar: "Early Detection Saves Lives. It Saved Mine"
Senator and breast cancer survivor Amy Klobuchar is encouraging women not to put off preventative care any longer.
By Senator Amy Klobuchar Published
-
I'm an Egg Donor. Why Was It So Difficult for Me to Tell People That?
Much like abortion, surrogacy, and IVF, becoming an egg donor was a reproductive choice that felt unfit for society’s standards of womanhood.
By Lauryn Chamberlain Published
-
The 20 Best Probiotics to Keep Your Gut in Check
Gut health = wealth.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Simone Biles Is Out of the Team Final at the Tokyo Olympics
She withdrew from the event due to a medical issue, according to USA Gymnastics.
By Rachel Epstein Published
-
The Truth About Thigh Gaps
We're going to need you to stop right there.
By Kenny Thapoung Published
-
The High Price of Living With Chronic Pain
Three women open up about how their conditions impact their bodies—and their wallets.
By Alice Oglethorpe Published
-
I Used to Imagine Murdering the Men I Dated
Falling in love helped me finally figure out why.
By Jessica Amento Published
-
60 Workout Apps for Women Who Want Results (Without a Gym Membership)
Easy fitness plans you can follow without fear of judgment.
By Bianca Rodriguez Published