Expert: Kim Farmer - 11/6/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I am a 24 y/o  man and I have just been sentenced to 2 months of house arrest.(meaning for the next 2 months I am confined to within my small apartment) I have decided now is the point to change my life for the better. One goal I have is to lose some extra pounds. So, what aerobic exercises can I do within this small apartment to help me lose some weight and get in better physical shape? I would be greatful for any advice you may have.

ANSWER: Hello-
Congratulations on making losing weight a part of your change for the better.  There are so many things you can do, where do I start....first of all if you have stairs, then you can warm up and run up and down the stairs for a great workout.  You can also get a jumprope and use it for 30 minutes for a pretty intense session.  Jogging in place, kickboxing videos, aerobic videos, jumping jacks and jumping in place are some other options that come to mind.  I hope these ideas are helpful....also check out my website at www.milehighfitness.com and click on my blue book on the left hand side of the page called "Get Motivated!" for some other ideas for nutrition, exercise and general knowledge related to healthy concepts.  It has helped a lot of people stay on the right track.  My other book called "Healthy Recipes for Any Day" is also very good for cooking tasty foods without all the fat and calories.  It is on the same website as the blue book.

Thanks for the question!

Kim


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey thanks for the advice. About jumping jacks, how many should I do and in how many sets? Whatever will help me see some real results. I do not have any stairs, videos, or a jump rope, so the jumping jacks may be my only hope at the moment. Thanks.

Answer
Hi Lee-
Well, its really not good to do the same thing over and over and over, so you really should try to go for a jog if you can get out of the house or even jog around your apartment.  You can also pretend like you have a jump rope and do the same motions with your arms, hands and feet.  Perhaps combining the jumping jacks, jogging, (air)jump roping with kicking will get your heart rate up and burn some calories.  Put on some fast paced music to keep you motivated.  You should try to have continuous motion (whether its jumping jacks or whatever) for at least 20-30 minutes.  If you can do this twice a day then that's even better.  

I hope this helps, let me know how it goes.

Kim (kfarmer@milehighfitness.com)