Part one of this article on working out at home instead of the gym appears here. It describes the upper body exercises you can do.

After doing some upper body work, I headed outside for a brisk walk. After 20 minutes of walking at a quick pace, I came back in and did some lower body exercises.

Tot Squat

Hold a young child on your back and with your feet shoulder width apart, simply squat up and down, making sure your knees don’t come farther than your toes (watch yourself in a mirror – your butt needs to stick out a bit).  You should look like you’re about to sit down in a chair but change your mind at the last moment.

The kid provides some extra weight and since it throws off your center of gravity a bit (like holding a barbell across your back), it forces you to pull in your abs, strengthening your core. Squats are a classic move and work all muscles of the lower body and stomach all at once. Try to do 10-15 reps, and at least 3 sets.

Heel Press

Find a step you can stand on and hold on to a railing or door frame or stability. Allow the backs of your heels to hang off the back of the step, then raise up on your toes. Your body is all the resistance you need for this one. Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Plies

A plie is just a squat but your legs are farther apart and your toes point out at an angle. These are great for the thighs, inner thighs and butt. If you have something to hold in front of you (like a baby or toddler or a gallon of milk) for some extra weight, do so. Do 3 sets of 10-15 plies.

That’s it! A complete workout that you can do in 30 minutes from home with no equipment. Now we have no excuse to not get fit.