Exercise AND Have a Clean House??  YES, You CAN!!!
Here are some indoor activities that'll get your housework done and start you on the road to fitness!!

• Suck It Up. Vacuuming is great exercise, especially if you make a conscious effort to concentrate on tightening your muscles as you push out and pull back in the machine. Your carpets — and your biceps — will thank you for it!  **TIP**  Stick to the old vacuum cleaners, the kind that is NOT self propelled.  Your body will thank you!!
• Squeaky Clean. Washing your windows makes for great stretching and toning exercises; the combination of up and down movements will work wonders on your arms and shoulders.
• Get Organized. Been putting off that major reorganizing project? Call it exercise and get it done! Take the contents of your pantry, book shelves, linen closets, etc. out, then reach up and put them back in, in order. You're getting in another great upper-body workout!

Wipe, Breathe, Wipe, Breathe
Now the trick is getting your heart rate up. No problem, with these suggestions from Cory Everson, California-based fitness expert and six-time Ms. Olympia:

• Let's Go To the Videotape. Exercise tapes and DVD's are great utilities for rainy days, mothers with toddlers and extreme heat. You can choose from beginner to advanced and pick a different video every day (pilates, aerobics, beginner kickboxing — just about anything you can think of), to challenge and motivate yourself. If your routine gets boring, pull out a fun one, such as salsa dancing or disco aerobics and let the children dance along!
• Step to It. Instead of going to step class, use the steps in your house. Vary the moves: First, step up and down on the bottom step for two to three minutes; rest a minute or two and repeat. As an additional approach: Holding onto the handrail, walk up and down the first three stairs (great for butts and thighs). When you get the hang of that, try walking briskly up and down the stairs a few times (use the hand rail for support). **TIP**(This is my favorite one!!)When you need to use the bathroom…take the STAIRS!!  That’s right!  If you’re drinking your 8 glasses of water, chances are you are visiting the bathroom lots more.  Don’t use the closes one…take the stairs!
• Whistle While You Work. Crank up the music and take on the quick clean challenge. While you're at it, take little breaks to do these moves:
  
  Stair Dips. Sitting on the bottom step, knees bent and leaning on your heels, put your weight on your hands and lift your body up and down 12 to 25 times to work out your chest, triceps and shoulders.
  
  Crunches. Lie on the carpet or rug with hands across your chest and your chin tucked; do 10 to 30 crunches, lifting your shoulders slightly off the ground and squeezing in your stomach muscles.
  
  Wall Push-Ups. Do 10 to 20 push-ups — off the wall! Or do them the traditional way.
• Join the Circuit. Circuit training is a great way to burn calories. Walk in place at varying speeds for ten minutes. Follow with 10 minutes of toning exercises. Then, another 10 minutes of aerobic exercises (maybe a videotape), and the finish: 10 more minutes of toning.

Make "Me" Time
The phones ring, the kids are calling you, sometimes it seems impossible to catch a minute's breath. When everyone you know needs you for something or other, here's how to work in your much-needed private time.

• Work out before your kids wake up, or do it after they go to bed.
• Make your workout part of your social life — do it with your buddies!
• Take the phone off the hook or let your calls go to voicemail. You'll get back to whoever called later.

 Remember ladies:

**FACT** The ONLY way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you eat!!