Don’t be a couch potato – use the time during commercial breaks to fight flab

Got a day where you’re glued to the tube? You’re not alone. American women spend, on average, more than five hours a day watching TV.

But you can use that time wisely by taking advantage of commercial breaks to fight flab. Try some of these calorie-blasting moves to work in a workout without having to stray too far from the couch:

1. Sets of stairs – Channel those glory days and pretend you’re running bleachers at the stadium; race the kids, take steps two at a time, or even go backwards (but hold onto the rail!)
2. Jog in place – Alternate “high knees” and “butt-kicks” (heels to your behind) and play with different patterns and speed intervals
3. Jumping jacks – Traditional doesn’t have to be boring; start with 30 seconds in the standard stance, and then add in sets of “squat-jacks” (keep legs bent) for an added challenge
4. Show off your chops – Unleash aggression by kicking, punching, jabbing and pummeling away with a series of martial arts-inspired moves
5. Get hardcore – Pop a squat on the floor and alternate sets of these moves: Bicycle (cycle legs in the air), plank (push-up position on your elbows), superman (belly on the floor, arms and legs raised) and crunches
6. Flex appeal – Grab the nearest weighted object (milk gallon, soup can, exercise band, small child) and alternate sets of bicep curls, chair dips, side/front shoulder raises and overhead shoulder presses
7. Pump yourself up – You can’t go wrong with basic upper-body-building moves such as push-ups (alternate hand position), lawnmowers (add weight for more effect) and pull-ups (get a doorway bar or use the kids’ jungle gym!)
8. Get down with it – Work your way to a better bottom half with calf raises (alternate where your toes point every set – out, forward and in), squats and lunges in place (ok, walking lunges to the fridge and back count, too)
9. Dance-off – Challenge your friends to a competition where you see who can choreograph the best mid-commercial dance moves
10. Stretch it out – Wrap up with this important, but oft-overlooked part of every regimen. Simple positions, held for 30-60 seconds each, help to ease sore, tense muscles and increase range of motion while enhancing circulation and coordination